Make a recommendation.

With curiosity as your framework, get to know your patient’s goals and values and formulate a recommendation based on these values. Too often in medicine we use the “buffet” approach to communication: give as many choices as possible to cover all options, and ask the patient to choose.

This approach is understandably overwhelming, and incredibly confusing. Not to mention the fact that typically our patients aren’t medical professionals, and have no idea what the “best” choice might be. It’s our role to use all that medical knowledge to figure out the best path forward based on our patients’ unique goals and values.

So ask permission and make a recommendation. “Is it ok if I share my thoughts based on everything you’ve told me so far?” or “Would it be ok if I made a recommendation?” are great ways to start. Then give your recommendation in clear, concise language and see what your patient thinks. If you’ve come to a recommendation that reflects their priorities, then it should feel like a natural transition moving forward.