The Communicative Process in the Physician-Terminal Patient Relationship

Abstract

Medical practice involves a specifi c type of interpersonal relationship in which health professionals must be able to use communicative methods and procedures effectively. These elements are essential to fulfi lling a professional role, achieving the goals of medical practice and recognizing the human being as a person. The communicative process is central in human behavior and development, contributing its complexity and specifi city and being a determining factor in all interpersonal relations. In personal development, each individual acquires experiences through his or her activities, in which the world is represented and given specifi c meaning. Through communication with other human beings, representations and meanings are modifi ed. Communication has a transforming and enriching impact on one’s personality and is of vital importance in the physician–patient relationship, as it can help to iron out differences and to facilitate subsequent communication, even in the case of terminally ill patients. This makes it a major therapeutic tool.