The Impact of an End-of-Life Communication Skills Intervention on Physicians-in-Training

• Published in: Gerontology & geriatrics education Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 152 - 163
• Main Authors: Pekmezaris, Renee, Walia, Rajni, Nouryan, Christian, Katinas, Lori, Zeitoun, Nancy, Alano, Gloria, Guzik, Howard J., Lester, Paula E., Sunday, Suzanne, Wolf-Klein, Gisele, Steinberg, Harry
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis Group 01-04-2011; Routledge; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Attitude Change; Care delivery; Clinical Competence; Communication; Communication Skills; communications skills; Curriculum; Death; Doctors; End of life decisions; end-of-life; Health Care Surveys; Humans; Intervention; Medical Education; Medical Services; Palliative Care; Patient care; Patients; Physician Patient Relationship; physician training; Physician-Patient Relations; Physicians; Physicians - psychology; Self Evaluation (Individuals); Statistics, Nonparametric; Surveys and Questionnaires; Training; United States; United States
• ISSN: 0270-1960; 1545-3847
• DOI: 10.1080/02701960.2011.572051

The palliative medicine literature consistently documents that physicians are poorly prepared to help patients experience a "good death" and are often unaware of their ill patients' preferences for end-of-life care. The present study, enrolling 150 physicians, sought to improve their communication skills for end-of-life care. We found significant attitudinal changes and a greater degree of self-rated competence in delivering end-of-life care for those in the intervention group. This study used a novel approach to train physicians to be better equipped to conduct difficult goals of care conversations with patients and their families at end-of-life.