Provider and Patient Communication Skills Training

We initially intended to examine communication skills training for several types of providers but due to space limitations ultimately we ended up including only physicians. In particular we focused on the training of practicing physicians residents or other postgraduate providers thus excluding communication skills training for undergraduates in medicine nursing and related health professions. The relevant literature for just medical students and nurses for example is quite extensive (Hargie Dickson Boohan & Hughes 1998; Joos Hickam Gordon & Baker 1996; Kruijver Kerkstra Bensing & van de Wiel 2000; Kruijver Kerkstra Francke Bensing & van de Wiel 2000; Makoul 1999). Even within these limitations and exclusions we cannot claim to have included all of the research on provider communication skills training that was published between 1990 and the present. However we are confident that what is included is a good representation of what has been done in the area of communication skills training for practicing physicians. (excerpt)