The Article in Brief

Improving Communication Between Doctors and Breast Cancer Patients

Moira Stewart, PhD , and colleagues

Background This study tests a new continuing medical education (CME) program aimed at improving communication between doctors and breast cancer patients. The program, based on needs described by patients, is 6 hours long and includes a discussion of patients' perspectives and a videotape review with individual feedback. It is compared with a traditional, 2-hour CME program that shows and discusses a videotaped patient-doctor visit.

What This Study Found There were no significant differences between the communication scores of 51 doctors (family physicians, surgeons, and oncologists) exposed to a traditional 2-hour CME program, compared with a new 6-hour intensive version. Among family physicians, however, those exposed to the longer program had higher communication scores than those exposed to the traditional 2-hour program. Patients of surgeons and oncologists who participated in the new 6-hour program were more satisfied and felt better than patients whose doctors participated in the 2-hour program.

Implications

• This study contributes to our understanding of communication education. The new intensive 6-hour CME is effective but appears to have different effects on different types of doctors.