Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Brédart, Anne
• Bouleuc, Carole
• Dolbeault, Sylvie

Titel

Doctor-patient communication and satisfaction with care in oncology

Ist Teil von

• Current opinion in oncology, 2005-07, Vol.17 (4), p.351-354

Ort / Verlag

United States: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2005

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• PURPOSE OF REVIEWThis review summarises current knowledge on the impact on patient satisfaction of initiatives undertaken to enhance the communication between doctors and their patients in oncology. RECENT FINDINGSRecent studies have assessed the effectiveness of different approaches aimed at improving doctor-patient communication in oncology. These have been assessed on outcomes related to the patient (e.g., anxiety, quality of life, medical knowledge, satisfaction) or to the doctor (e.g., communication behaviour, attitudes). Patient satisfaction has been recognised as a particularly relevant outcome, and a positive effect of recent initiatives to improve the interaction between cancer patients and their doctors on patient satisfaction has been suggested. SUMMARYTo better respond to cancer patientsʼ health care needs, various strategies focusing on doctor-patient communication have been developed. Addressing patientsʼ overall needs and sharing complex information in an emotionally charged context and under time constraints is a daily challenge for the oncology clinician, resulting often in cancer patientsʼ dissatisfaction. Recent interventions elaborated to facilitate doctor-patient communication in oncology focus on patients, such as handing out of videos or written preparatory information; on doctors, such as patientsʼ self-rating feedback to doctors or communication skills trainings; or on both, such as the audiotaping of the consultation or the provision of decision aids. Although these strategies offer promising results, further research should be implemented to assess their appropriateness across sociocultural contexts and their long-term effectiveness in clinical practice.