PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Mary E. Burman
TI  - How Giving and Receiving Information Has Shaped My Cancer Journey
AID  - 10.1370/afm.2588
DP  - 2020 Nov 01
TA  - The Annals of Family Medicine
PG  - 555--557
VI  - 18
IP  - 6
4099  - http://www.annfammed.org/content/18/6/555.short
4100  - http://www.annfammed.org/content/18/6/555.full
SO  - Ann Fam Med2020 Nov 01; 18
AB  - I have been a nurse for 40 years and I now have metastatic breast cancer. I have learned a lot, especially about giving bad news, disclosing the diagnosis to others, and using the hospital’s patient portal. First, how bad news is given to patients is important and should provide clear next steps for follow-up and treatment. Second, telling family, friends, and colleagues about a new cancer diagnosis is more challenging than you might expect. It is emotionally draining and time consuming, and support by primary care clinicians (PCCs) could make a difference. Finally, patient portals can be very beneficial, but their use in a complex diagnostic process like metastatic cancer can be problematic. Primary care clinicians should explicitly discuss use of portals with patients so that they receive the information they need in the way they want.