Improving Physicians' Interviewing Skills and Reducing Patients' Emotional Distress

摘要: Background: Despite high prevalence, emotional distress among primary care patients often goes unrecognized during routine medical encounters. Objective: To explore the effect of communication-skills training on process and outcome associated with patients' distress. Methods: A randomized, controlled field trial was conducted 69 physicians 648 their patients. Physicians were randomized to a no-training control group or one two courses designed help address The addressed communication through problem-defining skills emotion-handling skills. All office visits study audiotaped until five emotionally distressed nondistressed enrolled based patient response General Health Questionnaire. also interviewing simulated evaluate clinical proficiency. Telephone monitoring for utilization services Questionnaire scores 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months after visits. Results: Audiotape analysis actual showed that trained used significantly more than did untrained physicians, without increasing length visit. Trained reported psychosocial problems, engaged in strategies managing problems patients, scored higher proficiency Patients reduction as long months. Conclusions: Important changes physicians' evident an 8-hour program. improved lengthening (Arch Intern Med. 1995;155:1877-1884)