scholarly journals “Best Practice” for Patient-Centered Communication: A Narrative Review

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann King ◽  
Ruth B. Hoppe
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Patient Adherence ◽  
Critical Dimension ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Physician Communication ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Physician Patient

Abstract Background Communicating with patients has long been identified as an important physician competency. More recently, there is a growing consensus regarding the components that define physician-patient communication. There continues to be emphasis on both the need to teach and to assess the communication skills of physicians. Objective This narrative review aims to summarize the work that has been conducted in physician-patient communication that supports the efficacy of good communications skills. This work may also help to define the physician-patient communication skills that need to be taught and assessed. Results A review of the literature shows it contains impressive evidence supporting positive associations between physician communication behaviors and positive patient outcomes, such as patient recall, patient understanding, and patient adherence to therapy. There is a consensus about what constitutes “best practice” for physician communication in medical encounters: (1) fostering the relationship, (2) gathering information, (3) providing information, (4) making decisions, (5) responding to emotions, and (6) enabling disease- and treatment-related behavior. Conclusions Evidence supports the importance of communication skills as a dimension of physician competence. Effort to enhance teaching of communication skills to medical trainees likely will require significant changes in instruction at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as changes in assessing the developing communication skills of physicians. An added critical dimension is faculty understanding of the importance of communication skills, and their commitment to helping trainees develop those skills.

scholarly journals Physician-patient communication: A qualitative study of perceptions, barriers, and needs in 4 EU MS

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Dalma ◽  
K Zota ◽  
P Karnaki ◽  
A Veloudaki ◽  
A Linos
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Education ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Communication Training ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Good Communication ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Physician Patient

Abstract Background Good physician-patient communication is an important aspect of patient-centered care and contributes to positive health outcomes. However there is a lack of standard EU communication training policies for physicians. This study explores the barriers to good communication for both physicians and patients across four EU countries as part of the EU-funded Project “H-COM”, Health Communication Training for Health Professionals. Methods Eight focus groups were conducted with a total of 31 patients and 38 physicians from Germany, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus. Three themes were covered; perceptions, barriers and needs for health communication. Results Commonalities and differences between countries and target groups were identified, with participants discussing attitudinal, emotional, educational, and systemic barriers to good communication. Identified barriers among patients include a deeply embedded hierarchical notion and arrogance among physicians, inadequate or difficult to understand language, busy schedules. Among doctors barriers identified were mostly systemic having to do with busy schedules, large number of patients, and lack of time. Participants especially patients indicated a significant gap in health communication knowledge, skills, and training for physicians, with several regional differences being present especially between Mediterranean and central European countries. Conclusions The results imply a strong need for communication training, tailored accordingly in specific countries. Further development of policies related to the inclusion of such training in medical studies across EU would be of great importance. Key messages There are differences concerning health communication needs and barriers between EU regions and the development of tailored training. Although identified as important there is a lack of health communication training in certain EU MS and an urgent need to incorporate training in basic medical and nursing education.

scholarly journals Examining Communication and Patient Recall in a Family Medicine Residency

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Christopher Ebberwein ◽  
Nikki Keene Woods ◽  
Holly Allen Terrell ◽  
Mary Boyce ◽  
Jared Reyes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Medicine ◽  
Patient Adherence ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Patient Understanding ◽  
Family Medicine Residency ◽  
Patient Comprehension ◽  
Patient Recall ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Physician Patient

Background. Understanding key aspects of effective physician-patient communication could benefit residency education and improve patient comprehension of health information. Discrepancies between what physicians say and what patients understand can reduce quality of care (e.g., patient adherence and satisfaction), making it imperative to know when gaps in patient understanding exist. The objective of this study was to identify residents’ efforts to assess patient understanding and the degree to which patients recalled information and instructions provided in the medical encounter. Methods. Residents and patients were observed in routine medical encounters in a Midwestern family medicine residency center. Patients were surveyed immediately following the encounter for recall of information and recommendations from the encounter, satisfaction with physician communication, and health literacy. Results. A total of 21 physician-patient encounters were observed. An inverse relationship was noted (Spearman’s rho = -0.43, N = 21, p = 0.05) between number of topics discussed during the encounter and the percentage of information recalled. Conclusions. Patient recall was related inversely to the number of topics covered by resident physicians. These results challenge physicians and medical educators to study and employ further those elements of physician-patient communication that enhance patient recall and understanding.

scholarly journals Doctor-Patient Communication: Principles and Practices

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (S2) ◽  
pp. S23-S29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne M. Kurtz
Keyword(s):  
Communication Skills ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Good Communication ◽  
Doctor Patient Communication ◽  
Perceptual Skills ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Education Workshop ◽  
Physician Patient ◽  
Improve Patient

Background:In a formal needs assessment, conducted prior to the Canadian Headache Society's recent national continuing education workshop, participants expressed particular enthusiasm for enhancing their own communication skills or their teaching of those skills.Objectives:Responding to both interests, this paper offers a practical conceptual framework for thinking systematically about how to improve physician-patient communication to a professional level of competence.Methods:The three-part, evidence-based framework first defines communication in medicine in terms of five underlying assumptions about communication and the learning of communication skills. It then discusses three categories of communication skills (content, process, and perceptual skills) and six goals that physicians and patients work to achieve through their communication with each other. The second part of the framework explores “first principles” of effective communication and includes a brief look at the historical context that has significantly influenced our thinking about, and practice of communication in health care. Part three of the framework describes one approach for delineating and organizing the specific skills that research supports for communicating effectively with patients - the Calgary Cambridge Guide.Results:It is clear from the literature that better physician communication skills improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes and that good communication skills can be taught and learned.Conclusions:It is important that physicians learn the principles of good physician-patient communication and apply them in clinical practice. Medical education programs at all levels should include teaching of physician-patient communication.

scholarly journals Association Between eHealth Literacy in Online Health Communities and Patient Adherence: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinyi Lu ◽  
Runtong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Patient Adherence ◽  
Patient Communication ◽  
Ehealth Literacy ◽  
Internet Health Information ◽  
Physician Patient Communication ◽  
Health Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Physician Patient

BACKGROUND eHealth literacy is significantly associated with patients’ online information behavior, physician-patient relationship, patient adherence, and health outcomes. As an important product of the internet, online health communities (OHCs) can help redistribute idle medical resources, increase medical resource utilization, and improve patient adherence. However, studies on eHealth literacy in OHCs are limited. Therefore, this study examined patients’ eHealth literacy regarding health information–seeking behavior and physician-patient communication in OHCs. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the association between eHealth literacy in OHCs and patient adherence by employing social cognitive theory. METHODS This was an empirical study, in which a research model consisting of 1 independent variable (patients’ eHealth literacy), 3 mediators (physician-patient communication in OHCs, patient health information–seeking behavior in OHCs, and patients’ perceived quality of health information in OHCs), 1 dependent variable (patient adherence), and 4 control variables (age, gender, living area, and education level) was established to examine the associations. Multi-item scales were used to measure variables. An anonymous online survey involving 560 participants was conducted through Chinese OHCs in July 2018 to collect data. Partial least squares and structural equation modeling were adopted to analyze data and test hypotheses. RESULTS The survey response rate was 79.6% (446/560). The reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity were acceptable. Age, gender, living area, and education level were positively associated with patient adherence, and gender was positively associated with physician-patient communication and patients’ perceived quality of internet health information in OHCs. Patients’ eHealth literacy was positively associated with patient adherence through the mediations of physician-patient communication, internet health information–seeking behavior, and perceived quality of internet health information in OHCs. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that physician-patient communication, internet health information–seeking behavior, and the perceived quality of internet health information are significantly associated with improving patient adherence via a guiding of eHealth literacy in OHCs. These findings suggest that physicians can understand and guide their patients’ eHealth literacy to improve treatment efficiency; OHCs’ operators should this strengthen the management of information quality, develop user-friendly features, and minimize the gap between the actual and perceived information quality.

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