Talking With Your Older Patient: A Clinician's Handbook by National Institute of Aging - HTML preview

Explaining Diagnoses

Clear explanations of diagnoses are critical. Uncertainty about a health problem can be upsetting. When patients do not understand their medical conditions, they tend not to follow the treatment plans.

In explaining diagnoses, it is helpful to begin by finding out what the patient believes is wrong, what the patient thinks will happen, and how much more he or she wants to know. Based on the patient’s responses, you can correct any misconceptions and provide appropriate types of information.