ABSTRACT
The most effective way of avoiding an unhappy patient is careful management in the pre-operative phase of her journey and paying attention to detail in giving information is of paramount importance here. The breast clinical nurse specialist may help not only in reinforcing information but also in identifying patients whose expectations remain unrealistic. As oncoplastic techniques have become standard in breast surgery, the main area where breast surgeons will find themselves facing an unhappy patient now relates to cosmetic outcome following surgery. To reduce this risk, it is important to build the professional relationship with a full understanding of what the patient is hoping for with regard to the operative result. Patients undergoing oncoplastic surgery are now more likely to complain about cosmetic outcomes, rather than the breast cancer treatment itself. Twenty years ago, the main reasons for breast patients to be unhappy related to errors in treatment decisions and delays in diagnosis.
