Improving physician-patient communication in cancer care: outcome of a workshop for oncologists.

Background: Physicians caring for cancer patients receive little formal training in difficult communications such as breaking bad news, discussing life support, and addressing patients' emotional concerns.

Methods: The authors conducted a three-day workshop in communication skills for nine oncology attendings and three fellows. Topics for the workshop were selected by participants by a pre-workshop questionnaire. Small groups of four to five participants interviewed simulated patients who role-played scripts based on the selected topics. Sessions on self-awareness and one on planning for continuing the work of the group after the workshop were included.

Results: Responses to pretest and posttest questionnaires showed that the workshop increased the participants' confidence in a number of communication areas and also in managing physician burnout. Process issues such as patient death and expectations for cure were also discussed.

Conclusion: Interactive workshops offer a promising way of teaching communication skills and aspects of the physician-patient relationship to oncologists. Conclusions regarding outcome, however, are preliminary and tentative, and long-term results are uncertain.