Codebook for rating clinical communication skills based on the Calgary-Cambridge Guide

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Communication Skills Assessment
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Clinical communication skills are crucial for effective patient care.
• Existing tools for assessing these skills require validation for reliability and objectivity.
• The Observation Scheme-12 was developed as a potential measurement tool.

Purpose of the Study:

• To confirm the validity and reliability of the Observation Scheme-12.
• To operationalize the Observation Scheme-12 into a detailed rating tool.
• To establish the objectivity and consistency of the assessment tool.

Main Methods:

• The study involved operationalizing the Observation Scheme-12's 5-point scale into a codebook with specific micro-skills.
• Audio recordings of clinical interactions were used.
• Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess interrater and intrarater reliability.

Main Results:

• A validated rating tool with 12 items was developed, each detailing 0-5 micro-skills.
• The codebook provided criteria for ratings from 0-4 based on micro-skill accomplishment.
• Overall score ICCs were 0.74 (interrater) and 0.86 (intrarater); 10 of 12 items had ICCs > 0.5.

Conclusions:

• A supplementary codebook enhances the objectivity and reliability of the Observation Scheme-12.
• The Observation Scheme-12, with its codebook, provides acceptable reliability for assessing clinical communication.
• The tool is suitable for evaluating communication skills aligned with the Calgary-Cambridge Guide.