How Primary Care Clinicians Process Patient Death: Logistics, Emotions, and Opportunities for Structural Support

Navigating the logistics and emotional processing of a patient’s death is an inevitable part of many physicians’ roles. While research has primarily examined how inpatient clinicians cope with patient loss, little work has explored how primary care clinicians (PCCs) handle patient death in the outpatient setting, and what support resources could help PCCs process loss. To explore PCCs’ experiences with the logistics and emotional processing of patient deaths and suggestions for supportive resources. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews conducted between March and May 2023. Recruitment emails were sent to 136 PCCs (physicians and nurse practitioners) at three San Francisco academic primary care clinics. Twelve clinicians participated in the study. This study used a template analysis approach. Interview transcripts were analyzed in an iterative fashion to identify themes for how PCCs navigate patient death. Participants (n=12) described outpatient death notification as inconsistent, delayed, and rife with uncertainty regarding subsequent actions. They felt various emotions, notably sadness and guilt, especially with deaths of young, vulnerable patients or those from preventable illnesses. Participants identified strategies for emotional processing and recommended improvements including clear procedural guidance, peer debriefings, and formal acknowledgements of deceased patients. Interviewing PCCs about their experiences following a patient death revealed key themes in logistical and emotional processing, and clinic resource recommendations to better support PCCs. Given the distinct characteristics of primary care—such as enduring patient relationships, greater isolation in ambulatory settings compared to inpatient environments, and rising burnout rates—enhancing guidance and support for PCCs is crucial to mitigate administrative burdens and grief after patient loss.