2. Communicator (COM) (linked EPAs: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
As communicators, physicians establish and maintain effective relationships with patients and relatives. They use communication skills to provide high-quality care and prevention / health promotion.
They are able to:
| GO | 2.1 | engage in and maintain therapeutic relationships with patients based on mutual understanding, empathy, and trust |
| GO | 2.2 | accurately and adequately convey relevant information and explanations to patients, families, colleagues and other professionals, foster a common under¬standing of issues and problems, and jointly develop a healthcare plan |
| GO | 2.3 | manage disagreements and emotionally charged conversations |
| GO | 2.4 | deal effectively with diverse groups of patients such as children, adolescents and seniors; men, women and people with other gender identities (e.g. transgender); and patients with different cultural backgrounds and languages |
| GO | 2.5 | disclose adverse events (diagnostic and treatment failures, errors) accurately to patients and their families |
| GO | 2.6 | share bad news with patients and their families appropriately (“breaking bad news”) |
| GO | 2.7 | develop effective, shared strategies with their patients to increase their adherence to therapeutic options and improve their adoption of healthy habits and lifestyles |
| GO | 2.8 | assist patients in the adoption of health promoting habits and provide effective counselling in the use of personal data obtained through screening procedures, imaging, serologic or genetic findings (precision / prediction medicine) |
| GO | 2.9 | improve patient’s and family’s health literacy by assisting them to identify, access, and make use of information and communication technologies to support their health care and the adoption of healthy lifestyles |