Communication with your treating team

Good communication with your treating team is important so that you feel confident with the care you receive.

Don’t hesitate to ask your team questions, it’s vital that you fully understand your options and can make the decisions that are right for you.

This article provide some tips about getting the most from interactions with your treatment team.

Choosing how you’d like to communicate

If you have a lot of questions it’s a good idea to write them down. Prioritise your list before your appointment so that the most important questions are covered first. If you have a lot of questions at a particular visit, especially if it’s the first time you see someone, you can ask for a double appointment so that you have enough time to cover everything.

The ‘Questions to ask’ article has questions suggested by other people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. These could be a good place to start if you’re unsure what you need to know.

Your partner or close family members may also have questions you can add to your list.

Involve family or friends

Taking a partner, family member or friend with you to appointments has many advantages, so you may like to consider who’d be the best person to accompany you on a regular basis. For example, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of information you are given at appointments and forget some of it later on. A family member or friend can take notes for you that you can read  later.

If you would like family members to have an opportunity to ask questions, you can ask for a ‘family meeting’ with your medical oncologist. This could be a good way for family members to be involved in your care.

If you prefer not to involve your family, that’s okay too. It’s a very personal choice and you should do what feels right to you.

Ask questions if you don’t understand

It’s easy for medical professionals to slip into ‘jargon’ without realising it. If your doctors use any words you’re not sure of or don’t understand, ask them to rephrase what they’ve said or use simpler words.

Some doctors use diagrams when explaining treatments – ask for one if you think it will help.

Remember, they can’t read your mind; talk to them and ask questions until you’re sure you understand the answers.

Record the conversation

It can be helpful to record the conversation at your appointments so that you can play back and listen to the information again later when you’re more relaxed. Family members who can’t go to your appointment with you may also find this helpful.

You will need to ask your doctor’s permission first but don’t let that put you off. Many doctors and specialists support recording appointments so that you can take the information in later.

Resources

• Podcasts:
  • Forged in Fire - Relationships with your Medical Team and Self-advocacy, with Dr Charlotte Tottman.
  • Communicating with your health professionals
• Video Conference: Living the best life you can with breast cancer.
• Cancer Australia Statement - Influencing best practice in metastatic breast cancer