Communication in Palliative Care is crucial to break bad news, good news and for the well-being of patients and their families.
Family conferences are used in Palliative Care to conduct these types of conversations in an open, supportive and person-centred environment. But negotiations during family conferences can be very complex and require advanced competencies in communication.
In this talk, I will describe the most common topics of discussion and negotiation during family conferences on palliative and end-of-life care, and I will present some examples to inform future implementation in the field. The most important research on this topic will be briefly introduced and contextualised so as to provide national and international perspectives on a main strategy to support and promote optimal decision-making in Palliative Care.

Lecturer:
Dr. med. Claudia Gamondi, PD
Head of the Palliative and Supportive Care Clinic
Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC)