The patients' written word: a simple communication aid.
Effective doctor-patient communication is an essential part of good medical practice. Question asking is one way for patients to have greater participation. In this feasibility study, patients were given the opportunity to list questions or discussion topics on a proforma before seeing the doctor in an oncology outpatient clinic. The items listed were reviewed by the clinic doctor. Eighty-eight of 100 patients approached agreed to participate. Biomedical questions (mean 2.0 per patient) predominated over psychosocial ones (mean 0.1 per patient). Possible reasons for this are the study researcher being a doctor, patients attending for test results or that patients consider the format of listing questions on a proforma inappropriate for psychosocial issues. The listing of questions and discussion topics by patients gave the doctor valuable information about the patients' understanding and use of language. While the importance of doctors being adequately trained in communication skills should not be ignored, this simple intervention has potential for improving the outcome of clinic consultations.
Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, Horfield Road, Bristol BS2 8ED, UK. thomas.wells@ubht.swest.nhs.uk
Thomas
T
Wells
Stephen
S
Falk
Paul
P
Dieppe
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011379:Prognosis; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards*; D012660:Semantics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards*