Conducting a family meeting when there is a serious illness/diagnosis to discuss

Those who provide care for persons with a serious illness seek to address issues of treatment/interventions, pain and suffering and quality of life in the context of the psychological, spiritual, mental, and physical complexities that co-exist for the patient and, often, also for the patient’s family.

It is essential that an authentic and ethical relationship between the patient and the care-providing staff be maintained and valued as significant issues are addressed and hopefully, resolved.

Avoidance of these issues can lead to challenges that could result in enduring consequences for the patient, the family and for care providers. The purpose of this workshop is to describe a decision-making process that includes patients, their families and members of the healthcare team. It is based on ethical principles and features of group process.