[Palliative care benefits from careful use of words]

Worldwide, meaning and valence of words are being examined and weighed. This also occurs in healthcare, where campaigns demand attention for the fact that being terminally ill does not mean that there are no treatments left. Such efforts are commendable as there is room for improvement in the communication between healthcare providers and patients and healthcare providers are not equally well equipped to communicate effectively. Still, a US study in palliative surgery suggests that patients do not prefer one particular communication framework over another, tailoring of words seems the way to go. This may be especially beneficial for patients with a limited level of health literacy. Communication tools like the 'teach back' method, e-learnings and language guides can furthermore support healthcare providers in palliative care to continue to choose their words carefully with patients with a limited life expectancy.