Family-centered communication: A pilot educational intervention using deliberate practice and patient feedback.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Pediatric Communication Skills
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Medical education often lacks dedicated training for effective communication in critical patient scenarios.
• Pediatric residents face performance gaps in communication skills, impacting patient care.
• There is a need for structured curricula to enhance resident communication abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a longitudinal advanced communication curriculum for pediatric residents.
• To assess the impact of patient feedback and deliberate practice on resident communication skills.
• To improve pediatric residents' ability to handle life-altering patient communication.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving pediatric residents at a major academic center.
• Intervention group received 6 educational sessions, parent feedback via the Communication Assessment Tool (CAT), and monthly tips.
• Communication skills assessed pre- and post-intervention for both groups.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed statistically significant improvement in communication skills (p = 0.0063, OR 1.76).
• The control group demonstrated a trend towards improvement, but not statistically significant (p = 0.080, OR 1.41).
• 937 CAT assessments were collected from 36 first-year residents.

Conclusions:

• Formalized communication skills curricula are essential for pediatric residents.
• Patient and self-identified gaps highlight the need for targeted communication training.
• The study validates the effectiveness of deliberate practice and family feedback in enhancing resident communication.