Photo by Antoni Shkraba

Uncertainty

Helping Patients and Clinicians Manage Uncertainty During Clinical Care

Uncertainty introduces substantial complexity to the decision-making process for patients, impacting their emotional wellbeing, the quality of their decisions, and their overall experience with healthcare. This article argues that healthcare providers play a critical role in addressing and managing uncertainty by providing clear and honest information, fostering open communication, and involving patients in shared decision-making processes especially when those decisions require grappling with the unknown.

Mary Politi