Table 3.

Patient and Family Member Attitudes Toward the Best Case/Worst Case Communication Tool

Clarifies the treatment choice	“I mean to see it on paper you know the pros on one side and the cons on the other side that—that helps a lot. And he had it all diagrammed out so…having all this information, having it right there on paper for me, not on the chart on the wall that I can't take home.” “Oh yeah and it, it gave you the two options you, I mean you had it there on paper…I don't know if it changed my thinking other than it just made it very clear. That you [have options] X and Y.”
Promotes discussion of difficult prognoses	“So she was coming up with some stuff that we'd never heard before…it was good to know—no, I appreciate her telling me that.” “Well, I mean…the life expectancy. He says maximum five years and more likely two or three years after I go on dialysis. Um…I'm not sure I needed to know that…”
Facilitates dialogue and provides a framework for deliberation	“I think it's all of those questions. You know: how old am I? You know: what is valuable to me? I think there are so many things that go into that decision.” “It just makes it, it was easier to sit down to discuss it with him when I saw it on paper.”
Promotes understanding of expectations and preparation for adverse events	“So I'm glad he brought that up. So I guess the needles and that…and the palliative care um, and being nauseous were the things I took away from him chatting with me about dialysis, or being end of life or whatever you call it.” “I think [the nephrologist]…tells it like it is. And I think that's what I want. I don't want anybody to sugarcoat anything for me…it's better than being in limbo and not knowing a lot of things.”