Patient-provider communication before and after implementation of the contraceptive decision support tool My Birth Control

ObjectiveTo compare differences in patient-provider communication among patients who, prior to contraceptive counseling, used or did not use a decision support tool (“My Birth Control”) which has educational and interactive modules and produces a provider printout with the patient’s preferences.MethodsAs part of a cluster-randomized trial of the tool in four San Francisco safety net clinics, we collected and thematically analyzed 70 audio recordings of counseling visits (31 pre- and 39 post-tool implementation) from 15 providers randomized to the intervention.ResultsWithout the tool, most providers began by asking participants what method they were considering and focused counseling on that method or on directing patients towards long-acting reversible contraception; with the tool, most focused on reviewing and discussing multiple methods of interest to the participant as indicated on the printout. Discussion of patients’ preferences for specific method features was not observed in pre-implementation recordings but was part of several post-implementation recordings. Several participants explicitly noted they had gained knowledge from the tool.ConclusionObserved counseling differences suggest the tool may have a positive impact on patient-centeredness of contraceptive counseling, consistent with findings from the main study.Practice implicationsMy Birth Control shows potential for improving patient-centeredness in counseling without extensive provider training.     

After “Hello” with a wounded warrior: A student journey

The article describes the journey of a terror-stricken student growing into an adept healthcare provider; representing courageous personal and professional growth after a “Hello” in a nursing school immersion experience. The journey includes the student’s emotional maturity and courage, recognizing the uniqueness of military culture, realizing the magnitude of the patient’s losses, ascertaining patient concerns, personal recovery goals and long-term support network. Together recovery milestones are recognized and achieved. The article underscores the importance of nurse education in facilitating student’s effective nurse-patient communication techniques considering diverse cultural elements, and consistently applying these theoretical concepts into practice. Assignments geared toward a holistic patient perspective can serve to develop student leadership progress toward becoming informed and engaged citizens, enlarging worldviews and a heightened awareness of relevant global issues, and spark passion related to national policy reform. Commitment to professional ownership of personal and professional growth throughout nursing school leads to positive transitions as a seasoned healthcare provider.     

Perception of the Quality of Communication With Physicians Among Relatives of Dying Residents of Long-term Care Facilities in 6 European Countries: PACE Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectiveTo examine how relatives evaluate the quality of communication with the treating physician of a dying resident in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and to assess its differences between countries.DesignA cross-sectional retrospective study in a representative sample of LTCFs conducted in 2015. Relatives of residents who died during the previous 3 months were sent a questionnaire.Settings and participants761 relatives of deceased residents in 241 LTCFs in Belgium, England, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland.MethodsThe Family Perception of Physician-Family Communication (FPPFC) scale (ratings from 0 to 3, where 3 means the highest quality) was used to retrospectively assess how the quality of end-of-life communication with treating physicians was perceived by relatives. We applied multilevel linear and logistic regression models to assess differences between countries and LTCF types.ResultsThe FPPFC score was the lowest in Finland (1.4 ± 0.8) and the highest in Italy (2.2 ± 0.7). In LTCFs served by general practitioners, the FPPFC score differed between countries, but did not in LTCFs with on-site physicians. Most relatives reported that they were well informed about a resident's general condition (from 50.8% in Finland to 90.6% in Italy) and felt listened to (from 53.1% in Finland to 84.9% in Italy) and understood by the physician (from 56.7% in Finland to 85.8% in Italy). In most countries, relatives assessed the worst communication as being about the resident's wishes for medical treatment at the end of life, with the lowest rate of satisfied relatives in Finland (37.6%).ConclusionThe relatives' perception of the quality of end-of-life communication with physicians differs between countries. However, in all countries, physicians' communication needs to be improved, especially regarding resident's wishes for medical care at the end of life.ImplicationsTraining in end-of-life communication to physicians providing care for LTCF residents is recommended.     

基于病案的教学查房结合PACS在影像科医师培养中的应用

目的探讨在影像科医师培养中,基于病案(CBL)的教学查房结合医学影像存储与通讯系统(PACS)对医师影像诊断能力培养的价值。方法对2018年在北京大学第三医院放射科轮转CT的41名培训医师,应用PACS对其进行CBL教学查房,对照组为2017年轮转CT的39名培训医师(未进行CBL教学)。从PACS随机抽取每名医师书写的10份报告(报告时间为培训最后1个月),对开展CBL教学前后培训医师的报告书写质量评分并计算优良率。评分标准包括病灶征象描述全面准确、报告内容条理清晰规范、诊断结论逻辑清晰合理、能回答临床提出的问题、提出的下一步诊疗建议合理准确以及无漏诊。同时采用调查问卷的方式评价培训医师对CBL教学查房的主观感受,包括全面系统的认识疾病、提高临床思维能力、读片能力和学习兴趣、PACS对学习的帮助5方面,采用百分比表示。结果1)进行CBL教学查房后,培训医师报告质量评分提高(P<0.01)。2)培训医师对调查问卷5方面满意率分别为90.2%、68.3%、80.5%、75.6%和80.5%。结论应用PACS进行CBL教学查房是培养影像科医师诊断能力的有效方法。     

Development and Validation of the ACP-CAT for Assessing the Quality of Advance Care Planning Communication

ContextHigh-quality advance care planning (ACP) discussions are important to ensure patient receipt of goal-concordant care; however, there is no existing tool for assessing ACP communication quality.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to develop and validate a novel instrument that can be used to assess ACP communication skills of clinicians and trainees.MethodsWe developed a 20-item ACP Communication Assessment Tool (ACP-CAT) plus two summative items. Randomized rater pairs assessed residents' performances in video-recorded standardized patient encounters before and after an ACP training program using the ACP-CAT. We tested the tool for its 1) discriminating ability, 2) interrater reliability, 3) concurrent validity, 4) feasibility, and 5) raters' satisfaction.ResultsFifty-eight pre/post-training video recordings from 29 first-year internal medicine residents at Mount Sinai Hospital were evaluated. ACP-CAT reliably discriminated performance before and after training (median score 6 vs. 11, P < 0.001). For both pre/post-training encounters, interrater reliability was high for ACP-CAT total scores (intraclass correlation coefficient or ICC = 0.83 and 0.82) and the summative items Overall impression of ACP communication skills (ICC = 0.73 and 0.80) and Overall ability to respond to emotion (ICC = 0.83 and 0.82). Concurrent validity was shown by the strong correlation between ACP-CAT total score and both summative items. Raters spent an average of 4.8 minutes to complete the ACP-CAT, found it feasible, and were satisfied with its use.ConclusionACP-CAT provides a validated measure of ACP communication quality for assessing video-recorded encounters and can be further studied for its applicability with clinicians in different clinical contexts.     

Do clinicians convey what they intend? Lay interpretation of verbal risk labels used in decision encounters

ObjectiveTo assess the numerical probabilities that individuals associate with frequently-used verbal labels relating to treatment outcomes and their association with medical context, age, gender, educational level, health literacy, and numeracy.MethodsVerbal labels (N = 11) were extracted from N = 90 audiotaped decision encounters in oncology. Three hundred Dutch adults, as proxies for newly-diagnosed cancer patients, assigned numerical probabilities to the labels in the context of cancer recurrence or nausea, and completed questions on their socio-demographic characteristics, health literacy and numeracy.ResultsWe found considerable variation in how individuals interpreted the verbal labels. Participants’ probability estimates of verbal labels was lower in the context of (the more serious) cancer recurrence compared to (less serious) nausea. Lower numerate participants differentiated less between labels. There was no association between participants’ estimates and age, gender, educational level or health literacy.ConclusionThere is considerable variation in how individuals interpret verbal labels frequently-used in decision encounters. Individuals seem to take base rates and severity of outcomes into account. Verbal labels may be less helpful to lower numerate individuals.Practice implicationsTo minimize misinterpretation and to improve patient-clinician decision making about health and care, we recommend to avoid the use of verbal labels only.     

Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).