The family conference: what do patients want?

This study investigated patients' desire for family conferences in a variety of clinical situations encountered in family practice. Two hundred seventy-six family practice center patients were given a questionnaire in which they indicated the likelihood that they would want a family conference in 21 clinical situations. Patients' past experiences with family conferences as well as demographic information were obtained. For serious medical problems and some behavioral problems, patients indicated a high likelihood of wanting a family conference. They showed moderate to low interest in such conferences for guidance for family developmental stages, health promotion, and minor acute problems. Demographic factors and previous experiences with family conferences did not predict patients' interest in future conferences.