Thriving in a busy practice: physician-patient communication training.
BACKGROUND
Despite growing concern about the potential impact of managed care on the physician-patient relationship, efforts to enhance the quality of communication between practicing clinicians and their patients have been limited.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of a 1-day educational workshop.


METHODS
Clinician self-assessment of interviewing skills measured immediately before and 3 months after the workshop.


METHODS
The Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program.


METHODS
Practicing clinicians (n = 1384) in 22 workshops during a 5-year period. Nine hundred eleven participants (66% response rate) completed self-assessment questionnaires 3 months after the workshop.


RESULTS
Self-assessed interviewing skills improved in all items 3 months after the workshop (P < 0.05). Clinicians also reported a decline in the proportion of visits that they characterized as frustrating.


CONCLUSIONS
A 1-day educational intervention for large groups of practicing clinicians can improve confidence in medical interviewing skills and the ability to handle difficult encounters.
Stein
T S
TS
Department of Physician Education, Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, Calif., USA.
Kwan
J
J
D003142:Communication; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations / Q000592:standards*; D006302:Health Services Research; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012647:Self-Assessment; D014481:United States