Communication Training for Surgery
Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Academic
Recruiting
Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison
Disqualifiers: Lacking decision making, others
No Placebo Group
Approved in 1 Jurisdiction
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new training program to support communication between surgeons and their patients. The goal of the training program is to help patients get the information they need to make treatment decisions that are right for them.
Participants will complete surveys, attend a focus group, or receive training on Better Conversations, depending on the type of participant.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Training on communication framework, Better Conversations, Best Case/Worst Case framework?
Research shows that effective communication is crucial for patient satisfaction and better health outcomes, and structured communication training can improve these skills in surgical settings. Studies highlight that improving communication can help prevent misunderstandings and improve decision-making, which are key goals of the Better Conversations, Best Case/Worst Case framework.
12345Is communication training for surgery safe for participants?
The research articles reviewed do not provide specific safety data on communication training for surgery, but they focus on improving communication to prevent adverse events, which suggests a focus on safety in healthcare settings.
678910How is the 'Better Conversations, Best Case/Worst Case framework' treatment different from other communication training treatments for surgery?
This treatment is unique because it focuses on a structured communication framework specifically designed for surgical settings, aiming to improve the quality of conversations between surgeons and patients by using specific techniques and behaviors. Unlike other general communication courses, it provides a tailored approach to enhance decision-making discussions in surgery.
1112131415Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for patients undergoing surgery and surgeons in Wisconsin. It aims to improve how surgeons communicate with their patients about treatment options. Participants will be involved in surveys, focus groups, or receive communication training.Inclusion Criteria
I am a surgeon at UW-Madison treating adults in an outpatient clinic.
I had surgery in the last 10 years and I speak English.
I am 18 or older, need surgery, can make my own decisions, and speak English.
Exclusion Criteria
I am a surgeon who only treats patients under 18.
I cannot speak English.
I cannot make medical decisions for myself or I do not speak English.
Trial Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
2-4 weeks
Training
Surgeons receive training on the Better Conversations framework, with audio recordings used for assessment and feedback
Up to 4 years
Multiple sessions (in-person and virtual)
Evaluation
Evaluation of surgeon communication through participant surveys and audio recordings
Up to 4 years
Surveys and focus groups
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for outcomes related to surgeon communication effectiveness
Up to 4 years
Participant Groups
The study is testing a new program called 'Better Conversations' designed to enhance the dialogue between surgeons and patients. The effectiveness of this program will be measured through participant surveys and feedback from focus groups.
3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Surgical candidateExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants who are undergoing surgical consultation
Group II: SurgeonsExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Surgeons from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Surgery with an outpatient surgical clinic who treat adult patients at UW Health
Group III: Stakeholder Focus GroupExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants have previous experience with surgery
Training on communication framework is already approved in United States for the following indications:
🇺🇸 Approved in United States as Best Case/Worst Case framework for:
- High-stakes surgical decisions
- Serious illness discussions
Find a Clinic Near You
Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
University of WisconsinMadison, WI
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Wisconsin, MadisonLead Sponsor
References
A systematic review of surgeon-patient communication: strengths and opportunities for improvement. [2022]Effective communication is critical to patient satisfaction, outcomes of care and malpractice prevention. Surgeons need particularly effective communication skills to discuss complicated procedures and help patients make informed choices. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on surgeon-patient communication.
Thematic mapping of perioperative incident reporting data to relational coordination domains. [2023]Communication failure is a common root cause of adverse clinical events. Problematic communication domains are difficult to decipher, and communication improvement strategies are scarce. This study compared perioperative incident reports (IR) identifying potential communication failures with the results of a contemporaneous peri-operative Relational Coordination (RC) survey. We hypothesised that IR-prevalent themes would map to areas-of-weakness identified in the RC survey. Perioperative IRs filed between 2018 and 2020 (n = 6,236) were manually reviewed to identify communication failures (n = 1049). The IRs were disaggregated into seven RC theory domains and compared with the RC survey. Report disaggregation ratings demonstrated a three-way inter-rater agreement of 91.2%. Of the 1,049 communication failure-related IRs, shared knowledge deficits (n = 479, 46%) or accurate communication (n = 465, 44%) were most frequently identified. Communication frequency failures (n = 3, 0.3%) were rarely coded. Comparatively, shared knowledge was the weakest domain in the RC survey, while communication frequency was the strongest, correlating well with our IR data. Linking IR with RC domains offers a novel approach to assessing the specific elements of communication failures with an acute care facility. This approach provides a deployable mechanism to trend intra- and inter-domain progress in communication success, and develop targeted interventions to mitigate against communication failure-related adverse events.
Pretraining and posttraining assessment of residents' performance in the fourth accreditation council for graduate medical education competency: patient communication skills. [2022]Structured communication curricula will improve surgical residents' ability to communicate effectively with patients.
Improving comprehension of informed consent. [2015]To explore the way the doctor-patient communication process may be improved by adopting the patients' conversational style in the development of written materials for surgical patients.
Competent patient care is dependent upon attending to empathic opportunities presented during interview sessions. [2008]Core competencies in surgical education and clinical care rely on effective patient-physician communication. We aim to develop quantitative and empirical tools for understanding critical communication tasks during patient interviews.
Learning from experience: a qualitative study of surgeons' perspectives on reporting and dealing with serious adverse events. [2023]In surgery, serious adverse events have effects on the patient journey, the patient outcome and may constitute a burden to the surgeon involved. This study aims to investigate facilitators and barriers to transparency around, reporting of and learning from serious adverse events among surgeons.
An alternative strategy for studying adverse events in medical care. [2022]Data about the frequency of adverse events related to inappropriate care in hospitals come from studies of medical records as if they represented a true record of adverse events. In a prospective, observational design we analysed discussion of adverse events during the care of all patients admitted to three units of a large, urban teaching hospital affiliated to a university medical school. Discussion took place during routine clinical meetings. We undertook the study to enhance understanding of the incidence and scope of adverse events as a basis for preventing them.
ACOG Committee Opinion No. 380: Disclosure and discussion of adverse events. [2009]Disclosure and discussion of adverse events in health care is desired by patients and championed by safety experts and policy makers. Improving the disclosure process through policies, programmatic training, and accessible resources will enhance patient satisfaction, strengthen the physician-patient relationship, and most importantly, promote a higher quality of health care.
Communication failure in the operating room. [2011]Communication errors contribute to the occurrence of adverse events in various domains of health care. Recent studies surveying perceptions of communication in the operating room have found disparities in the perceived quality of communication among members of the operating room team. Our aim was to characterize the nature of communication failures observed in the operating room and to assess whether a Team Training curriculum had any impact on observed communication errors.
[Disclosing harmful adverse event: Assessment of medical practices from clinical vignettes]. [2017]The French National Authority for Health has made serious adverse event disclosure one of its priority areas of work. The objective of the study was to explore clinicians' perceived practices of disclosing such events. Between June and July 2012, a structured questionnaire was emailed to all clinicians and residents working at the Nantes Teaching Hospital. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts first, clinical vignettes-with medical and surgical cases exploring five areas of practices (initial disclosure, disclosure of details, disclosure of the cause, apologies, and patient information about preventive actions); second, questions about the reasons for disclosure or non-disclosure; third, an evaluation of the training needs. The overall response rate was 18.8% (n=322/1709). Clinicians did not realize initial disclosure in 13.4%, disclosure of details in 24.5%, disclosure of the cause in 44.1%. Of the respondants, 4% of them would not apologize and 11.2% of them would not discuss detailed plans for preventing recurrences. Results were significantly different between medical and surgical specialities concerning disclosure of details and the cause of adverse events: surgeons were significantly less inclined than physicians to volunteer any details unless asked by the patient (72.9% vs 16.1%; P
Annual Structured Communication Skills Training for Surgery Residents. [2023]There is no formalized communication curriculum for surgical training. The aim of this study is to determine the benefit of annual communication skill-building workshops for surgical residents over several years.
Improving Communication Skills: A Course for Academic Medical Center Surgery Residents and Faculty. [2022]To improve physician/patient communication and familiarize surgeons with contemporary skills for and metrics assessing communication, courses were developed to provide academic general surgery residents and faculty with a toolkit of information, behaviors, and specific techniques. If academic faculty are expected to mentor residents in communication and residents are expected to learn good communication skills, then both should have the necessary education to accomplish such a goal.
Teaching and learning communication in veterinary medicine. [2019]Drawing on extensive evidence and experience in human medicine, this article offers a practical conceptual framework for thinking more precisely about how to teach and learn communication systematically and intentionally in veterinary medicine. The overarching goal is to promote the development of communication programs so as to improve communication in veterinary practice to a professional level of competence. A three-part conceptual framework is presented that first explores the rationale behind teaching and learning communication, including the evidence base regarding the impact of communication on clinician-client interactions and outcomes of care and the research on teaching and learning communication skills in medicine. The second part considers four ways to conceptualize what to teach and learn, as explicated by (a) the domains of communication in veterinary medicine; (b) ''first principles'' of effective communication; (c) evidence-based goals or outcomes for communication programs; and (d) delineation and definition of the specific individual skills that research evidence supports, as presented in the Calgary-Cambridge Guides. The last part of the conceptual framework examines how to teach communication, including the use of models, a primary focus on skill development as the backbone of communication programs, and the value of other methods supported by the evidence, such as simulated patients, videotape, small groups, and feedback and facilitation skills. Communication impacts the clinician- client interaction and outcomes of care in very significant ways. Communication can and should be taught and learned with as much rigor as other aspects of clinical competence. Veterinary programs at all levels should include the teaching of communication.
Creating a culture of communication in undergraduate medical education. [2020]Quality communication improves outcomes across a wide variety of health care metrics. However, communication training in undergraduate medical education remains heterogeneous, with real-life clinical settings notably underutilized. In this perspective, the authors review the current landscape in communication training and propose the development of communication-intensive rotations (CIRs) as a method of integrating communication training into the everyday clinical environment. Despite its importance, communication training is often relegated to a "parallel curriculum." Through integration, CIRs can provide opportunities for real-life skills training, decrease parallel curriculum burden, and provide specialty-specific training in preparation for residency. Clear, efficient communication and human connection remain central in a physician's practice. CIRs reinforce these crucial principles. Potential benefits of a CIR model include role modeling of expert communication techniques; real-time, specific feedback on communication behaviors; development of relationship-centered communication skills and human connection, thereby decreasing burnout; and the opportunity for quality communication practices to become habits in a medical student's daily routine.
Training Surgical Residents to Communicate with Their Patients: A Scoping Review of the Literature. [2021]Effective communication is critical in surgical practice and the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education requires a focus on interpersonal and communication skills. Absent a national communication skills curriculum for surgical residents, individual programs have designed and implemented their own curricula. This scoping review explores communication training in North American surgical residency programs.