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Computer program improved communication between oncologists, patients
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A computerized intervention improved oncologists’ responses to patient expressions of negative emotions, according to a recent study by researchers at Duke University.
The Studying Communication in Oncologist–Patient Encounters (SCOPE) study was a single blind, randomized, controlled, parallel-group study that analyzed the effects of an interactive CD-ROM program about responding to patient emotions. The participants included 48 medical, gynecologic and radiation oncologists who saw 264 patients with advanced cancer.
The oncologists were randomly assigned to receive a communication lecture alone or the lecture plus CD-ROM training. The researchers recorded clinic visits between the oncologists and their patients. The oncologists then underwent the lecture with or without the CD-ROM training. After the oncologists assigned to receive the CD-ROM training had 1 month to review it, their clinical visits with patients were audio-recorded once more. The researchers identified the number of empathic statements and empathic responses to patients’ negative emotions. After these visits, the patients were surveyed about their trust in their oncologists and the quality of communication.
Oncologists who received the SCOPE CD-ROM training used more empathic statements (P=.024) and were more likely to respond empathically to negative emotions (P=.028) compared with oncologists who received the lecture alone. In addition, the patients of the oncologists who underwent the SCOPE CD-ROM training reported more trust in their oncologists than the patients of oncologists who received the lecture alone (P=.036).
“The SCOPE CD-ROM is the first computerized communication teaching intervention to show improvement in physician outcomes and the first physician communication intervention of any type to demonstrate improvement in patient trust,” the researchers wrote. “Although experience can be an excellent teacher, physicians usually do not improve their communication skills without external input. To improve the quality of communication in medical encounters, more physicians should receive communication skills training that includes individualized, reflective feedback.”
For more information:
- Tulsky JA. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155:593-601.