A large majority of patients (95%) appreciated honesty in their doctor regarding their odds of survival and how long they might live. Prostate cancer survivors were more likely than lung cancer patients to want their doctors to be upfront about survival chances: 97% vs. 91%.
In addition, the survey revealed that patients welcome informality in their doctors. Almost 75% preferred to be addressed only by their first name, and even more were fine with their doctor not wearing a white coat. Most wouldn’t mind a hug after two months of radiotherapy, and a third of women cancer survivors indicated a desire to have their hands held by their oncologists during critical office visits.
Further survey findings reveal that most patients (84%) welcome a detailed explanation of their treatment plan, and an even higher percentage (95%) said they want their physician to use laypersons’ terms when discussing the details.
As to spiritual matters, 40% of survey respondents indicated they would like to share their own beliefs with their doctor. The results indicated that patients don’t appreciate doctors imposing their own spiritual views, but would like doctors to affirm the individual patient’s own belief system.
I consider these findings refreshing. Patients long for an informal, straight-forward and detailed conversation with their oncologists, similar to what we had before doctors stopped making house calls. Anything the doctors can do to incorporate these findings into their practice would be very beneficial for cancer survivors struggling to understand their prognosis and treatment options. The personal touch is in.
