Using the patient-centered method to achieve excellence in care for women with breast cancer

The diagnosis of breast cancer remains one of the most threatening and emot ionally debilitating diagnoses given to patients. Breast cancer elicits fea rs of loss of ability, control, hope, and at worst - loss of life. Patients and their families, devastated by the diagnosis of cancer, often feel unsu pported or dismissed by their health care providers. Using the example of b reast cancer, this paper describes how the application of the patient-centr ed clinical method can assist physicians in caring for patients diagnosed w ith breast cancer. Composite cases and quotes drawn from qualitative resear ch studies with boast cancer patients are used to illustrate the applicatio n of the patient-centred clinical method. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.