MedEdPORTAL (May 2015)
Improving Provider-Patient Communication: A Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication Skills Curriculum
Abstract
Abstract This resource is a curriculum on improving provider-patient communication skills. The goal of the curriculum is to allow learners to recognize the importance of effective communication skills and to implement these skills in their everyday practice of medicine. The curriculum includes several tools to allow educators to teach effective communication skills and to measure implementation of these skills. The curriculum begins with educators observing learners during provider-patient interactions prior to participating in the communication workshop. In this iteration, the learners were pediatric residents from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine during their 4-week rotation at a community hospital. All learners participate in a communication workshop, which is a 60-minute interactive session highlighted in this curriculum by a PowerPoint presentation with notes. During this workshop, the learners take part in an interactive discussion of techniques and skills for improved verbal and nonverbal communication. Following the workshop, the learners are, once again, observed by the educators during interactions with patients and their families. The curriculum concludes at the end of 4 weeks, when the learners are asked to assess their degree of success in implementing their goals. During this 4-week period, the educators give brief feedback to the learners after each observation of provider-patient interaction. We have been measuring outcomes by collecting data through several methods. Pre− and postintervention self-assessment data measured by communication workshop surveys resulted in a stacked analysis file of 20 observations for a total of 10 residents. In three areas (identification of verbal cues, improved open-ended questions, and improved ability to increase patient compliance), there was significant (p < .05) improvement between pre− and postintervention. Communication assessment tool data resulted in a stacked analysis file of 34 observations total (17 total residents). By t-test comparison, mean scores for all domains and for total score showed statistically significant (p < .05) improvement after the intervention. A qualitative data analysis of the comments from the surveys and pediatric residents' responses on implementation of their goals was also conducted. Out of 26 responses, 19 stated that the curriculum was helpful in improving communication skills.
Keywords
