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Communication in Palliative Care

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Palliative Care in Lung Disease

Part of the book series: Respiratory Medicine ((RM))

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Abstract

This chapter explores palliative care communication between clinicians and their patients with advanced lung diseases. Individuals living with advanced lung disease experience high morbidity and mortality leading to significant palliative care needs. Despite significant palliative care needs, data suggests the frequency, timing, and quality of palliative care communication between clinicians and this population are poor. Empiric evidence demonstrates the importance of palliative care communication in effectively caring for seriously ill patients. Patients, family members, and the healthcare system stand to benefit when these needs are adequately addressed. In response to accumulating data, medical societies, such as the American Thoracic Society, recommend that clinicians who care for patients with chronic or advanced respiratory diseases should be trained in, and capable of, providing recommended basic competencies in palliative care which include communication in goals of care and symptom management. Herein, the authors consider barriers to effective communication including challenges with prognostication, fear of causing harm or provoking an emotional response, lack of comfort with necessary skills, and fragmentation of the healthcare system.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Taylor Lincoln

  2. Division of Pulmonary Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA

    Jared Chiarchiaro

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  1. Taylor Lincoln
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Correspondence to Taylor Lincoln .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

    Kathleen O. Lindell

  2. Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Sonye K. Danoff

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Lincoln, T., Chiarchiaro, J. (2021). Communication in Palliative Care. In: Lindell, K.O., Danoff, S.K. (eds) Palliative Care in Lung Disease. Respiratory Medicine. Humana, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81788-6_9

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