Improving Communication Between Doctors and Breast Cancer Patients

Abstract

PURPOSE We wanted to assess the effectiveness of intensive education for physicians compared with a traditional session on communicating with breast cancer patients.METHODS A randomized controlled trial was conducted in practices in London, Hamilton, and Toronto, Canada, with 17 family physicians, 16 surgeons, and 18 oncologists, and with 102 patients of the surgeons and oncologists. Doctors were randomized to 1 of 2 continuing education approaches: a traditional 2-hour version (control group), or a new 6-hour intensive version including exploring the patients' perspectives and reviewing videotapes and receiving feedback (intervention group). Communication behavior of the physicians was measured objectively both before and after the intervention. As well, 4 postintervention patient outcomes were measured, by design only for surgeons and oncologists: patientcenterdness of the visit, satisfaction, psychological distress, and feeling better. RESULTSNo signifi cant differences were found on the communication score of the intervention vs the control physicians when controlling for preintervention communication scores. Intervention family physicians, however, had signifi cantly higher communication subscores than control family physicians. Also, patients of the intervention surgeons and oncologists were signifi cantly more satisfi ed (scores of 82.06 vs 77.78, P = .03) and felt better (88.2% vs 70.6%, P = .02) than patients of the control surgeons and oncologists when controlling for covariates and adjusting for clustering within doctor. CONCLUSIONSThe continuing medical education intervention was effective in terms of some but not all physician and patient outcomes.

Target and reality of adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal patients with invasive breast cancer

“…These communication skills were applied in the follow-up of oncologic patients, in particular regarding the dialogue concerning possible therapy-related side effects and the importance of compliance and adherence to therapy (Mallinger et al, 2005;Stewart et al, 2007). Although endocrine therapy for postmenopausal breast cancer is generally well tolerated and the majority of adverse effects are mild to moderate, there are a certain number of patients who experience these as distressing (above all, hot flushes, musculoskeletal complaints/arthralgia and vaginal dryness).…”

Communication Skills Training for Physicians Improves Patient Satisfaction

“…Multiple studies have shown that communication skills can be improved with effective training, and that effective communication improves medical outcomes, safety, patient adherence, patient satisfaction, and provider satisfaction and efficiency. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Organization-wide communication skills improvement programs are rare and reports are limited to case studies. 15 We designed and implemented an experiential, relationship-centered communication skills course and measured its impact on patient satisfaction, physician empathy, burnout, and self-efficacy in a large, multispecialty academic medical center.…”

The patient-centered clinical method: a family medicine perspective

“…This was entitled "Innovative Training to Improve Physician Communication with Breast Cancer Patients". [11] We wanted to answer this research question: Does intensive education improve physician communication with breast cancer patients? The research team was supported by a breast cancer patient advisory group.…”

“…Bu çal›flma "Hekimlerin Meme Kanseri Hastalar› ile ‹letiflimini Gelifltiren Yenilikçi bir E¤itim" olarak adland›r›lm›flt›. [11] Araflt›rma sorumuz flu flekildeydi: "Hekimlerin meme kanseri hastalar› ile iletiflimleri yo¤un bir e¤itim ile iyilefltirilebilir mi?" Araflt›rma ekibi, bir meme kanseri hastalar› dan›flma grubu taraf›ndan desteklendi.…”