<p>The Impact of a Communication Skills Workshop on Doctors’ Behavior Over Time</p>

Abstract

Purpose: Communication skills education is still relatively new in some non-Western countries. Further, most evaluation research on communication skills education examines only short-term results. In our communication skills program in Qatar, we aimed to: 1) assess the impact of the communication skills course on participant skills application; 2) assess the length of time since course completion associated with participant skills application; and 3) assess participant gender or clinical position associated with participant skills application. Methods: Seven hundred and thirty-eight physicians completed a seven-module communication skills course. Participants reflected on what they learned in the course and how the course had impacted their behavior through a nine-item online survey that included a fouritem Communication Workshop Impact Scale (CWIS), three open questions, and two demographic questions. To assess the effect of time since workshop on outcomes, we stratified the respondents into five groups based on how long ago they had completed the course. Results: Three hundred and thirty-two physicians completed the survey. Participants reported agreement with the items on the CWIS: X=4.45 (range 1-5; SD=0.70). When asked which skill(s) they had been able to implement in their clinical practice, 235 gave a specific response, either a specific communication skill (eg, ask open questions), a higherorder category of skills (eg, questioning skills), or the name of one of the seven modules of the course. Only 28 participants listed the name of a skill or module name that they had not been able to implement. There was no evidence of difference in CWIS score based on time since course completion. There was no gender difference; however, residents had significantly lower CWIS scores than fellows (4.70 vs. 4.29, p<0.05). Conclusion: Participants reported agreement with response items about the impact of the course on their skills application. Participant gender did not play a significant role, but residents had lower scores than did fellows. Furthermore, most physicians (92%) were able to name something specific that they had learned from the course and were currently implementing in their practice. Positive outcomes of the course did not seem to diminish over time. Future research should identify whether observable communication behavior matches the self-reported behavior.

Evaluation of Continuing Professional Development for Physicians – Time for Change: A Scoping Review

“…For instance, most studies (81%) either did not use theories to elaborate on their CPD intervention design (n = 39) or had only explicated their program design in the context of current evidence (n = 44) without using a theory to explain why they believed their CPD intervention would work. Those that incorporated theory, referred to the following: the adult learning theory [16], theory of planned behavior [16], behavior change model [17], implementation change model [18], dual process theory [19], script theory [19], development process theoretical framework [20], social marketing theory [21], apprenticeship model [22], and the Comskil model [14].…”

Doctors' experiences of earlier mandatory postgraduate communication skills training: a qualita-tive study

“…This study examined whether the time since course completion was related to reported use of communication skills learned during the course. 19 Their results suggest that the impact of the course was sustained over time, with most physicians (92%) being able to name something specific that they had learned from the course and were currently implementing in their practice. Furthermore, the authors point out that knowledge is needed about how doctors, at different levels in their careers, experience postgraduate communication training.…”

“…"most evaluation research on communication skills education examines only short-term results". 19 To our knowledge, only one study has explored the impact of postgraduate communication skills training on doctors' behavior over time. This study examined whether the time since course completion was related to reported use of communication skills learned during the course.…”

Design of a communication skills course in dentistry: Applying active‐learning strategies to improve educational outcomes

“…Effective communication with patients is a crucial competency of health professionals. 1,2 Poor communication is often linked to patients' misunderstandings, non-adherence to treatments and medical errors. 3 Evidence-based studies showed that effective communication improved patient outcomes and healthcare quality.…”

“…Effective communication with patients is a crucial competency of health professionals 1,2 . Poor communication is often linked to patients’ misunderstandings, non‐adherence to treatments and medical errors 3 .…”