Table 1.

Improving communication between patients and physicians: goals and potential solutions

Goals/aims for improving communication	Potential solutions
Help patients express their feelings, particularly in relation to their symptoms and the impact of their condition on their daily life, effectively	Use of visual images, increased use of specialist nurses or psychologists
Open up discussions quickly during limited appointment duration	Online screening tools, use of visual images
Develop further tools that aid patient preparation prior to consultations	Support from patient advisory groups
Provide structure to consultations	Structured guidelines for consultations, including key questions to ask patientsa Patient diary capturing events and milestones since last consultation
Improve length of face-to-face interaction between patients and HCPs	Increased use of specialist nurses or psychologists

^aKey questions are listed in Table 2