Difficult medical encounters in oncology: What physicians need. An exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Education
• Communication in Healthcare

Background:

• Difficult consultations are common in medical oncology.
• Effective communication is crucial for patient care and outcomes in oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of difficult consultations encountered by medical oncology professionals.
• To identify specific challenges within these consultations.
• To assess the demand for targeted training programs.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed in February 2022 to 390 medical oncology professionals in the Netherlands.
• The survey collected data on difficult medical encounters, desired training formats, and demographics.

Main Results:

• Key factors contributing to difficult encounters include dominant family members, time constraints, and lack of patient-provider agreement.
• Patient characteristics such as low health literacy and aggressive behavior complicate consultations.
• A significant percentage of professionals (27-44%) expressed a preference for training, with physical group meetings (24%) and virtual individual meetings (19%) being the most favored formats.

Conclusions:

• Medical oncology professionals identify specific patient behaviors and communication issues as primary drivers of difficult consultations.
• There is a clear need for structured educational programs to equip professionals with skills to navigate these challenging interactions.
• The findings underscore the importance of developing targeted training to enhance support for oncology professionals.