Crisis Symptom Management and Patient Communication Protocols Are Important Tools for All Clinicians Responding to COVID-19
Symptom management and skilled communication with patients and families are essential clinical services in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Although palliative care specialists have training in these skills, many frontline clinicians from other specialties do not. This Journal of Pain and Symptom Management article by Brynn A. Bowman, MPA, Anthony L. Back, MD, Andrew E. Esch, MD, MBA and Nadine Marshall, LMSW, MSc explains how health care organizations can deploy a strategy to reduce human suffering by supporting all frontline clinicians to communicate compassionately with patients and families and to address burdensome symptoms.