Communication between the hospitalized older patient and physician

Much research has shown that how physicians communicate with patients can h ave profound influence on behavioral, psychosocial, and clinical outcomes o f the encounter. Communication with older patients, however, is often compr omised by some attributes of the aging process. Communication can also be a ffected by the setting in which it takes place, and the hospital presents s ome barriers not found in ambulatory sites. These concerns are often compou nded in end-of-life decisions for older patients when discussed in hospital settings.