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Communication skills training for medical residents: Enhancing a psychosocial approach of patient care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2022

F.L. Gil Open the ORCID record for F.L. Gil [Opens in a new window] ,
R. Hernández-Ribas ,
N. Sánchez ,
J. Gil  and
A. Casellas-Grau Open the ORCID record for A. Casellas-Grau [Opens in a new window]
F.L. Gil
Affiliation:
Psychosocial Observatory in Cancer, Psycho-oncology Unit, Duran i Reynals Hospital, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain Communication Skills Laboratory (ComCare), Health Innovation and Simulation Center — Tecnocampus Health Sciences High School — Affiliated Centre to Pompeu Fabra University, Mataró, Barcelona, Spain
R. Hernández-Ribas
Affiliation:
Psychiatry Department, Bellvitge University Hosptial, Institut Català d'Oncologia, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain CIBERSAM, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
N. Sánchez
Affiliation:
Althaia University Care Network, Manresa, Barcelona, Spain
J. Gil
Affiliation:
Dermathology Department, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain
A. Casellas-Grau*
Affiliation:
Psychosocial Observatory in Cancer, Psycho-oncology Unit, Duran i Reynals Hospital, Catalan Institute of Oncology, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain Psychology Department, University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, Vic, Spain
*
Author for correspondence: Anna Casellas-Grau, Psychosocial Observatory in Cancer, Psycho-oncology Unit, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Institut Català d'Oncologia, Av. Gran Via de l'Hospitalet, 199-203, 08908 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. E-mail: acgrau@iconcologia.net
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Abstract

Objectives

One of the issues that has increasingly become relevant to medical practice is the ability to communicate well with patients. Better communication results in better care for the patient, as well as greater satisfaction for the physician. For this reason, the aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a communication skills training program for medical residents (MR).

Method

Eighty-six MR underwent a 6-month training program in three phases: a 12-h theory and practice workshop, a period of real practice, and a 4-h workshop in which the most challenging scenarios were role played with an actress. In each phase (T0, T1, and T2), participants’ beliefs about their competence in caring for patients’ psychosocial aspects and their self-confidence in communication skills were assessed.

Results

No differences were found between T0 and T1 in participants’ beliefs of self-competence in psychosocial care. However, this competence significantly improved after completion of the entire program. Only 7 of the 12 areas explored in communication skills significantly improved between T0 and T1. However, after T2 completion, significant improvements were observed in all 12 areas.

Significance of results

The research results highlight the usefulness and importance of training young doctors to foster their psychosocial approach to patient care and improve their confidence in their own communication skills. The results also show the appropriateness of the structure of the training: the key features of the programme were the follow-up of the participants in three phases over 6 months, and a focus on the needs of the residents and the resolution of difficult clinical cases, with the support of an actress. Therefore, the training presented in this study may become a guide for other trainings in other contexts with similar objectives.

Keywords

Communication skillsMedical education researchMedicinePatient managementPsychometrics
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , June 2023 , pp. 392 - 398
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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