To what extent should doctors communicate diagnostic uncertainty with their patients? An empirical ethics vignette study

We argue that doctors should err on the side of greater diagnostic uncertainty communication: to not do so (eg, based on benign paternalistic ideas about avoiding patient worry) or to do so variably (eg, based on unevidenced assumptions about patient information preferences) risks depriving patients of information they may value and may create or exacerbate inequalities.

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Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Medical Ethics
Published
2025-02-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1136/jme-2024-109932
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
14.08

Funders

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article

To what extent should doctors communicate diagnostic uncertainty with their patients? An empirical ethics vignette study

Zoë Fritz, Matthew Parry, Thea Hatfield, Caitríona Cox
6 citations
Journal of Medical Ethics
Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
14.08
article

To what extent should doctors communicate diagnostic uncertainty with their patients? An empirical ethics vignette study

Zoë Fritz, Matthew Parry, Thea Hatfield, Caitríona Cox
article en
6 citations

Abstract

We argue that doctors should err on the side of greater diagnostic uncertainty communication: to not do so (eg, based on benign paternalistic ideas about avoiding patient worry) or to do so variably (eg, based on unevidenced assumptions about patient information preferences) risks depriving patients of information they may value and may create or exacerbate inequalities.

Journal of Medical EthicsVol. 51(11)
Institute for Healthcare Improvement (US), University of Otago (NZ)
Wellcome Trust
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare
14.08
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