Effect of a communication skills intervention on resident comfort and knowledge of discussing goals of care and advance care planning.

Authors

Rushil Patel

Rushil Virendra Patel

Moses Cone Internal Medicine Residency Program, Greensboro, NC

Rushil Virendra Patel, Elizabeth Golding, Aaron Lampkin, Mary Walker Larach, Lawrence Klima

Organizations

Moses Cone Internal Medicine Residency Program, Greensboro, NC, Cone Health Palliative Medicine, Greensboro, NC, Cone Health System, Greensboro, NC

Research Funding

Other

Background: Inpatient providers are sometimes challenged with advanced care planning for their patients. At a teaching hospital, resident physicians find themselves tasked with this responsibility for inpatients they may have only just met, as well as in their assigned outpatient panel. Education on communication skills though has been shown to improve resident comfort level and knowledge of discussing goals of care and advance care planning. Methods: Internal medicine categorical residents (n = 15) and preliminary (n = 3) residents at a university-affiliated, community hospital learned the fundamentals of discussing goals of care and advance care planning using selected modules from the Center for Advancing Palliative Care’s (CAPC) online curriculum in communication skills during their outpatient clinic rotation from February through June 2016. Residents then discussed a patient encounter from their experience with their colleagues along with a member from the inpatient palliative care team and a clinical psychologist in weekly 1-hour afternoon sessions. A pre- and post-intervention survey was administered and recoded by a numerical identifier to assess the change in each resident's comfort level and knowledge level with conducting these discussions with their patients. Sessions were also audiorecorded to identify recurrent themes and insights for future follow-up projects. Results: Preliminary analysis (n = 11) demonstrates a statistically significant improvement in the median difference between overall resident comfort level (p = 0.007) and knowledge (p = 0.027) of discussing goals of care and advance care planning. Several participants also expressed desires for additional opportunities to practice these skills under supervision by experienced providers. Conclusions: Residents value developing skills requisite to facilitate goals of care discussions and advance care planning. Further opportunities for practice and feedback should be identified.

Disclaimer

This material on this page is ©2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, all rights reserved. Licensing available upon request. For more information, please contact licensing@asco.org

Abstract Details

Meeting

2016 Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B

Track

Biologic Basis of Symptoms and Treatment Toxicities,Psycho-oncology,End-of-Life Care,Survivorship,Management/Prevention of Symptoms and Treatment Toxicities,Psychosocial and Spiritual Care,Communication in Advanced Cancer

Sub Track

Goals of care

Citation

J Clin Oncol 34, 2016 (suppl 26S; abstr 50)

DOI

10.1200/jco.2016.34.26_suppl.50

Abstract #

50

Poster Bd #

E2

Abstract Disclosures

Similar Abstracts

First Author: Therese Marie Mulvey

First Author: Luluh Bin Dayil

First Author: Brooke Elizabeth Kania

First Author: Nina A. Bickell