"He does not know it yet"-Triadic communication and its pitfalls exemplified by an oncological ward round consultation

Abstract

Medical communication is an effective instrument for the medical practice. Due to the low status that medical communication still has within medicine and medical education, many physicians do not know how to use this instrument professionally. Using medical communication in away that patients are well informed and involved is aprerequisite for them to make self-determined decisions. In this paper Ianalyze aconsultation in an oncology ward to show the pitfalls of medical communication, especially in triadic communication, based on acase study to work out suggestions for optimization from the transcript. Mistakes in conducting conversations, which can be recognized as such in theory, unfortunately still happen in practice, which is why this case study is intended as an invitation to critically reflect on one's own conduct of conversations. The conclusion contains suggestions for the preparation as well as the conduct of the consultation during medical rounds.