title: [Breaking of bad news. Practical advice to physicians for successful communication with patients].
abstract: In the more and more complex world of modern medicine, communication skills become increasingly important. Many physicians are however unaware of their difficulties in giving information in a clear and comprehensible way. This is especially true for breaking bad news. Keys for good communication consist in: careful preparation of the physical context of the interview; finding out how much the patient knows or suspects; giving the information in small amounts and a balanced way; responding to the patient's feelings and finally making a contract for the future.
authors.affiliation: III. Medizinische Klinik der Universitätskliniken Mainz. m.weber@3-med.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nehring
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tentrup
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014705:Verbal Behavior