[The risk and its communication to patients for decision-making in healthcare]

Abstract

Informing the patients before starting diagnostic and therapeutic procedures is advisable in order to establish a trusting and caring relationship. In this article, we analyze factors that determine the risk perception by the patients, as well as elements which facilitate a good information process by health professionals.

Keywords: Acceso a la información; Access to information; Communication; Comunicación; Decision making; Empathy; Empatía; Riesgo; Risk; Toma de decisiones.