How to prepare for life-changing medical news

Medical care is full of twists and turns. Luckily, most people who require medical care for various reasons usually end up with good outcomes. That means they either end up getting cured of their disease, or having optimal control of symptoms. But others aren’t so lucky. They may end up with a grim and incurable diagnosis, get life-altering harm during medical care, or even end up dead.

Medics must always maintain ongoing disclosure of evolving clinical matters, however bad. If an unexpected diagnosis comes up, you must be sensitively informed and advised on the next course of action. If something goes wrong as you navigate healthcare, the events must be shared with you regardless of the potential for liabilities. If death occurs, the next of kin must be promptly informed.

There should never be a point where you are in the dark about your ongoing healthcare.

Bad medical news is not easy to deal with. You are likely to be invited in person to discuss any distressing eventualities. Your doctor may give you a clue about the fore-coming discussions, or you may already have your own suspicions. It is always best to be accompanied by a family member or close friend. Your mind may be hazy whilst trying to deal with all the distressing info. Whoever accompanies you will help you cope with different emotions, may take notes on your behalf, and help ask questions to clarify matters.

If you are the one facing a distressing medical conversation, make sure you fully understand all the facts about the clinical situation. If it is an unexpected diagnosis, cancer for example, is it too advanced to be curable? How much longer might you anticipate living? You need to come out of such discussions with a clear plan of the next steps. Having a follow-up discussion days later may be helpful.

Doctors must uphold empathy and clarity whilst discussing distressing matters with patients. The facts of the case must be brought out clearly. There cannot be unnecessary use of medical jargon, or clouding the discussion with ambiguous language. Medics must give patients enough time to digest all the info, and an opportunity to ask questions. Better still, such grave discussions should be followed up with a written summary or an electronic recording of the clinical encounter that patients can revisit in their own time.

Patients or family members dealing with distressing clinical matters should always be open to psychological help. Your doctor is rarely the best placed person to help with emotional wellbeing. After all the facts are out, and implications that are hard to deal with, a clinical psychologist comes in handy. There are also plenty of self-help groups made up of individuals who may have faced similar circumstances. Seek them out too as the next phase of your medical journey evolves.

Dr Murage is a Consultant Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist. [email protected]