title: Assessing communication between oncology professionals and their patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Effective communication with cancer patients continues to be an elusive goal for health care professionals (HCPs) and cancer educators.
  
  
  METHODS
  We posted a survey on the ConversationsInCare.com Web site to collect information from oncology HCPs regarding attitudes, effectiveness, and specific patient communication skills.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 291 respondents agreed that good communication enhances patient satisfaction (76%) and treatment compliance (88%). Only 34% of respondents felt comfortable discussing complementary or alternative therapies, and approximately half of all respondents felt they lack the skills to help patients maintain hope.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oncology HCPs believe that good communication is important and wish to improve their skills. Implications for cancer educators are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of South Florida, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institution, Tampa, 33620, USA. croberts@cas.usf.edu
authors.forename: Cleora
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: Liddy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gavigan
authors.forename: Dean H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gesme
authors.forename: Peggy
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Samuels
authors.forename: Walter F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Baile
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations