Communication Guidelines for Doctors and Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Wemke Veldhuijzen, Paul Ram, Trudy van der Weijden, Susan Niemantsverdriet, Cees PM van der Vleuten
Primary Institution: Maastricht University
Hypothesis
What characteristics of communication guidelines facilitate or impede their use?
Conclusion
Communication guidelines are useful for structuring consultations but lack flexibility and applicability to practice routines.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants identified more impeding characteristics than facilitating ones.
- Guidelines that are structured in distinct phases help users manage consultations better.
- Rigid guidelines do not fit well into GPs' day-to-day practice.
Takeaway
Doctors use guidelines to help them talk to patients, but sometimes the guidelines are too rigid and don't fit well with how they actually work.
Methodology
The study involved ten focus group interviews with experienced GPs, communication trainers, and GP trainees to discuss the characteristics of communication guidelines.
Potential Biases
Participants may have had biases based on their roles as trainers or experienced practitioners, potentially affecting their views on the guidelines.
Limitations
The study did not include patient perspectives, which are crucial for understanding the effectiveness of communication guidelines.
Participant Demographics
Participants included experienced GPs, communication trainers, GP trainees, and medical students from Dutch GP training centers.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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