For those of us who work in the healthcare world, providing information to the patient is one of the most difficult things to do, especially when it comes to bad news. We need to measure how much and what information needs to be provided, and how it is provided in particular, in order to find the right attitude of the patient.

It is a subject that is often mentioned, but difficult to measure. According to the nature of the patient, what helps one could be disappointing to the other. Books and experts say that it is necessary to provide the patient with information that he or she can accept, in a timely manner, so that it does not become harmful. Taking measures gives us jobs, because that is very difficult to know.

There have been major changes in this area in recent years. Until recently, following a completely paternalistic attitude, the doctor was the only owner of the information, and he made all the decisions regardless of the patient and those around him. Little by little, the patient has become more and more important, because after all, he is his body, because it is his health and his life. The job of health workers is to help the patient, to inform them, to explain the different options, and to help them choose. The well-informed patient will take a positive attitude, help us in the treatment, and we will reach the cure.

But what to do when the disease is incurable? Tell the patient or not? When is that? In what way? The work of these doctors, together with those around them, is to study the personality of the patient, his attitude and beliefs, and to inform him accordingly. Is it permissible to hide information from the patient? What would you prefer to read, to be aware of the whole truth, or to remain ignorant as the disease progresses.

After all, more than death, man fears loneliness, suffering and pain. Fortunately, even doctors have learned to help the incurable patient, even if we don’t always guess. The patient must know that he will have us with him, that we have medicines that will relieve him of his pain and anguish, and that when the last comes, we will not prolong the useless ordeal. Because it is our duty to try to heal, and when it cannot be cured, to help relieve it, always by the side of the patient.