Communication skills for mobile remote presence technology in clinical interactions

Area of Science:

• Medical Robotics
• Telemedicine
• Surgical Education

Background:

• Teleconsultation via mobile robotic units divides clinician attention between robotic operation and patient interaction.
• Effective communication is crucial for successful remote patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a communication guide for clinicians using mobile robotic units in teleconsultations.
• To assess the impact of the guide on trainee surgeons' confidence and simulated patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A communication guide was developed based on patient-centered interviewing and telephone conferencing skills.
• Five trainee surgeons participated in a pre- and post-test design with simulated consultations.
• Trainees completed consultations before and after reviewing the communication guide.

Main Results:

• Trainee self-ratings indicated moderate to high scores for authenticity, difficulty, familiarity, and confidence (3.0-4.8 range, max 5).
• Simulated patients' satisfaction scores ranged from 8.2 to 11.4 (max 15), suggesting areas for communication skill development.
• The communication guide demonstrated utility in simulated telepresence interactions.

Conclusions:

• The developed communication guide appears beneficial for enhancing telepresence consultations with mobile robotic units in simulated settings.
• Further research is needed to validate the guide's effectiveness with real patients.
• Improving communication skills is essential for optimizing patient care in robotic teleconsultations.