Other areas of consideration are outlined below:
Healthcare professionals can use a framework to support and guide their discussions with patients. For example, the biopsychosocial model emphasizes the three types of factors that impact disease management: biological, psychological, and social. Using this framework to lead discussions can support healthcare professionals in determining what is key for the patient and what support could help minimize the nocebo effect.
Removing the rigidity and developing a flexible, personalized approach with patients is imperative. For example, some patients might start out wanting information about the biological aspects of the disease to better understand how the disease process is impacting their bodies. However, as treatment progresses, their focus might shift to the other aspects of navigating acute or chronic illnesses.
Healthcare professionals would benefit from considering patients’ external experiences that influence healthcare decisions. By allowing individuals to navigate these discussions, healthcare professionals can offer information that is relevant for the individual and their priorities; this shift in mindset could have a profound impact on doctor–patient communication and relationships.
Talking to patients about their knowledge and previous experience with a disease or treatment and their preconceptions and beliefs about how it will affect them can help reduce the nocebo effect. Using a positive framework to share information, focusing on alleviating symptoms, the chances of improvement, and survival rates (as opposed to making potential side effects the focus), can also have an impact on patient retention strategies.