Abstract
Pathology reports often contain elements of uncertainty, and communication between
clinicians and pathologists is paramount for providing the best patient care. Surveys
were given to pathology service-users and pathologists to ascertain confidence levels
regarding certain phrases used in pathology reports. A focus group then met with pathologists
to gain insight into why certain phrases are used and the challenges that are faced
in presenting an uncertain diagnosis. Whilst most of the phrases were interpreted
similarly between service-users and pathologists, some elicited more variation in
confidence than others, suggesting that the message conveyed in pathology reports
is not always interpreted the way it is intended to be.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: October 26, 2021
Accepted:
October 2,
2021
Identification
Copyright
Crown Copyright © 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. All rights reserved.
