Providing the Gist of Medical Expertise in the Context of Laws, Rules, and Guidelines: Fuzzy-Trace Theory's Alternative Approach to Improve Patient Communication.

Journal: The Journal of law, medicine & ethics : a journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics
Published Date:

Abstract

Current guidelines and regulatory frameworks create a dilemma that threatens the effectiveness of much needed communication between patients and medical providers: How can patients be presented with detailed facts without creating cognitive "overload"? We explain how this is a false dichotomy and illustrate, using three examples, how fuzzy-trace theory offers a third way of informing patients.

Authors

  • Sarah M Edelson
    CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, NY, USA.
  • Valerie F Reyna
    CORNELL UNIVERSITY, ITHACA, NY, USA.