Many healthcare providers鈥昿hysicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, and others鈥昦re involved in end-of-life patient care. Some have suggested that such care should extend after death to include family members or loved ones close to the patient.
Apart from words of support at the time of death, should this include sending a sympathy card or a condolence letter? Should physical reminders of the patient be offered as well? The subject is not straightforward and raises several issues.
Responsibility: It may be unclear whose responsibility it is to send a condolence letter, especially if multiple caregivers were involved in a patient's care.
Time: Healthcare providers' "routine" workload may be so great that they feel they do not have time for the additional responsibility of writing a letter or providing memorabilia.
Personal Issues: Caregivers may feel uncertain about what to say or how to express their sympathy effectively.
Professionalism: The healthcare worker may be concerned that sending a letter could blur professional boundaries, complicating their relationship with family members in future encounters.
Family Perception: Family members may perceive the letter as a genuine gesture of care or as an impersonal formality that negatively affects their grieving, particularly if the letter is not handwritten.
Potential for Harm: Contacting a family weeks after death may inadvertently trigger recurrent feelings of grief.
THE MCGILL UNIVERSITY HEALTH CARE ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION TEAM CONDOLENCE LETTER AND PATIENT MEMORABILIA
The MUHC has an active organ donation program. In 2023, 69 potential patient donors were identified, of whom 16 eventually donated. Family members or close loved ones from both groups were asked if they would like follow-up after the patient鈥檚 death. A condolence letter was sent to those who said yes; in 2023, 112 such letters were sent.
Material sent with the letter includes a booklet guide to the grieving process and a 鈥渟ympathy card鈥� with information about access to specialized support provided by the Dr. Marsolais Mission. In some instances, a physical reminder of the patient was also given to the family.