Principles of Communication Skills Training in Cancer Care across the Life Span and Illness Trajectory

Psycho-Oncology ◽

10.1093/med/9780190097653.003.0099 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 791-798

Author(s):

David W. Kissane ◽

Carma L. Bylund

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Core Curriculum ◽

Decision Aids ◽

Skills Training ◽

Communication Skills Training ◽

Patient Centered ◽

Open Questions ◽

Communication Challenges ◽

Question Prompt

Evidence is growing that communication skills training can help clinicians to become more empathic and use open questions in a patient-centered manner. More work is needed to see these gains translate into improved patient outcomes. A core curriculum has matured as a conventional component of training in cancer care. Strong evidence supports the use of question prompt lists, decision aids, and audio recording of important consultations for later review by the patient and family. Gains are being made with communication challenges such as discussing internet-derived information. Patient training about optimizing their communication has started to complete the reciprocal interaction.

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Principles of Communication Skills Training In Cancer Care

Psycho-Oncology ◽

10.1093/med/9780195367430.003.0086 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 597-604 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Richard F. Brown ◽

Carma L. Bylund ◽

David W. Kissane

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Skills Training ◽

Communication Skills Training

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Communicating with relatives in cancer care

10.1093/med/9780198736134.003.0017 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Isabelle Merckaert ◽

Yves Libert ◽

Aurore Liénard ◽

Darius Razavi

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Cancer Care ◽

Skills Training ◽

Bad News ◽

Communication Skills Training ◽

Complex Task ◽

Breaking Bad News ◽

Loved One ◽

Breaking Bad ◽

Optimal Patient Care

Relatives are omnipresent in cancer care and commonly accompany cancer patients to physician consultations, increasing the complexity of the resultant communication. Relatives can provide important collaborative history, support, and advocate for their loved one, as well as have their own needs addressed. Relatives may also desire to protect their loved ones, and challenges arise if they invite the clinician to collude in keeping secrets. Optimally including relatives in a consultation is a complex task. Specific skills—for instance, asking permission, using circular questions and offering summaries—can enrich triadic communication. When breaking bad news, strategies for three-person consultations that have been used in communication skills training deliver benefits to both patients and their relatives. The successful accomplishment of three-person consultations is one hallmark of the mature clinician. It requires skill and time, but can certainly promote optimal patient care.

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Can Communication Skills Training Alter Physicians’ Beliefs and Behavior in Clinics?

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2002.20.3.765 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 765-769 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Valerie Jenkins ◽

Lesley Fallowfield

Keyword(s):

Communication Skills ◽

Processing System ◽

Skills Training ◽

Self Report ◽

Control Group ◽

Communication Skills Training ◽

Attitudes And Beliefs ◽

Communication Behaviors ◽

Open Questions ◽

Affective Components

PURPOSE: To measure the psychosocial attitudes and beliefs of physicians working within oncology in the United Kingdom and to examine whether beliefs alter after communication skills training. Additionally, to investigate whether physicians’ attitudes are reflected in communication behaviors with patients during interviews. METHODS: Ninety-three physicians completed a 32-item Physician Psychosocial Belief (PPSB) questionnaire at baseline (T1) before randomization to attendance at a 3-day residential communication skills course (n = 48) or a control group (n = 45). Three months later (T2), both groups completed another PPSB and a self-assessment questionnaire recording perceived changes in communication with patients. At both time points, physicians’ consultations with two consenting patients were videotaped. Communication behaviors were measured using the Medical Interaction Processing System. RESULTS: Physicians who attended the course showed significantly improved attitudes and beliefs toward psychosocial issues compared with controls (P = .002). This improvement was reflected in the analysis of the videotaped recordings of their communication behaviors with patients. Expressions of empathy were more likely for the course group at T2 than the controls (P = .02), as were open questions (P = .001), appropriate responses to patient cues (P = .005), and psychosocial probing (P = .041). These objective findings were supported by physicians’ self report of changes in communication style during interviews with patients. CONCLUSION: Our results show that a communication skills training intervention using behavioral, cognitive, and affective components not only increases potentially beneficial and more effective interviewing styles but can also alter attitudes and beliefs, thus increasing the likelihood that such skills will be used in the clinical setting.

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