Involving family members of chronically ill patients in physician-patient communication

Involving family members in the patient's treatment is central for coping with chronic diseases. The family's functioning and their involvement in the treatment process have a significant influence on compliance as well as on the patient's coping and quality of life. This article illustrates this broad topic through selected aspects. First, the importance of the family for the patient's coping and quality of life is highlighted in certain examples. Criteria for the family's involvement and important topics for the doctor's encounter with family members are introduced. Second, the necessities, problems, and consequences of doctor-family communication are illustrated for the examples of stroke and dementia. Overall, there is only limited time to include the family in in-patient as well as out-patient care. As a result, physician-family communication is not integrated sufficiently in general care, even for chronic diseases.