Communicating diagnostic uncertainty in emergency care

Abstract

Communicating diagnostic uncertainty in emergency care. [Poster text] What patients want: open, action oriented, patient-centered communication about diagnostic uncertainty. Why it matters: Supports patients and caregivers to understand, assess and engage in the diagnostic process. Patients and caregivers trust doctors when they: take their concerns seriously, are honest about uncertainty, explain their diagnostic thinking, provide a clear path forward. Patients and caregivers feel reassured when doctors show they can navigate uncertainty, not when they downplay it.