Effective training strategies for teaching communication skills to physicians: an overview of systematic reviews.
OBJECTIVE
Physicians need good communication skills to communicate effectively with patients. The objective of this review was to identify effective training strategies for teaching communication skills to qualified physicians.


METHODS
PubMED, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and COCHRANE were searched in October 2008 and in March 2009. Two authors independently selected relevant reviews and assessed their methodological quality with AMSTAR. Summary tables were constructed for data-synthesis, and results were linked to outcome measures. As a result, conclusions about the effectiveness of communication skills training strategies for physicians could be drawn.


RESULTS
Twelve systematic reviews on communication skills training programmes for physicians were identified. Some focused on specific training strategies, whereas others emphasized a more general approach with mixed strategies. Training programmes were effective if they lasted for at least one day, were learner-centred, and focused on practising skills. The best training strategies within the programmes included role-play, feedback, and small group discussions.


CONCLUSIONS
Training programmes should include active, practice-oriented strategies. Oral presentations on communication skills, modelling, and written information should only be used as supportive strategies.


CONCLUSIONS
To be able to compare the effectiveness of training programmes more easily in the future, general agreement on outcome measures has to be established.
Berkhof
Marianne
M
Department of Public and Occupational Health, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
van Rijssen
H Jolanda
HJ
Schellart
Antonius J M
AJ
Anema
Johannes R
JR
van der Beek
Allard J
AJ
D003142:Communication; D005246:Feedback; D006801:Humans; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*