How to Optimize Physicians’ Communication Skills in Cancer Care: Results of a Randomized Study Assessing the Usefulness of Posttraining Consolidation Workshops

Abstract

Purpose: Although there is wide recognition of the usefulness of improving physicians’ communication skills, no studies have yet assessed the efficacy of post-training consolidation workshops. This study aims to assess the efficacy of six 3-hour consolidation workshops conducted after a 2.5-day basic training program. Methods: Physicians, after attending the basic training program, were randomly assigned to consolidation workshops or to a waiting list. Training efficacy was assessed through simulated and actual patient interviews that were audiotaped at baseline and after consolidation workshops for the consolidation-workshop group, and approximately 5 months after the end of basic training for the waiting-list group. Communication skills were assessed according to the Cancer Research Campaign Workshop Evaluation Manual. Patients’ perceptions of communication skills improvement were assessed using a 14-item questionnaire. Results: Sixty-three physicians completed the training program. Communication skills improved significantly more in the consolidation-workshop group compared with the waiting-list group. In simulated interviews, group-by-time repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant increase in open and open directive questions (P = .014) and utterances alerting patients to reality (P = .049), as well as a significant decrease in premature reassurance (P = .042). In actual patient interviews, results revealed a significant increase in acknowledgments (P = .022) and empathic statements (P = .009), in educated guesses (P = .041), and in negotiations (P = .008). Patients interacting with physicians who benefited from consolidation workshops reported higher scores concerning their physicians’ understanding of their disease (P = .004). Conclusion: Consolidation workshops further improve a communication skills training program’s efficacy and facilitate the transfer of acquired skills to clinical practice.