5 Stars! from Doody
Booknews
A resource for practitioners in family and specialist medicine, course organizers, facilitators, and learners at all levels, from undergraduate to continuing medical education. Explores the specific skills of doctor-patient communication and shows how these skills can improve health outcomes and everyday clinical practice. Contains chapters on initiating the session, gathering information, building the relationship, explanation and planning, closing the session, and specific concerns such as breaking bad news. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
From the Publisher
"… an outstanding resource in which clinicians in any health profession and at any level of experience can find insights to help them advance their communication competence. It offers very specific, practical descriptions of communication techniques and the evidence base in which they are grounded..."
—Anthony L. Suchman (in the Foreword)
"The importance of this skills-based consultation model cannot be overstressed. The Calgary-Cambridge Guides describe the core skills useful for all learners and teachers in medical sciences, for all levels of education, for specialists as well as for family doctors. These skills are useful in all conditions."
—Myriam Deveugele (in the Foreword)
Doody's Review Service
Reviewer: Andrea R Jennings, Dr.PH, MSN, MED (Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center)
Description: This book prepares professionals to communicate effectively with patients in all care settings using an evidence-based approach. This third edition uses an enhanced version of the Calgary-Cambridge Guides as a framework as the book illustrates the structure and process skills of communication through three effective diagrams. Incorporating the patient's perspective throughout the communication processes highlights the mutual relationship that must exist between patient and provider. Best practice evidence and current research findings validate the proposed communication skills the book discusses. The second edition was published in 2005.
Purpose: According to the authors, the purpose is to: 1) enhance the communication skills of medical providers; 2) provide educators with the latest research evidence and knowledge about how to teach communication skills; and 3) emphasize the importance of excellent communication skills to medical educators. As the authors correctly point out, there has been a plethora of new research in the area of communication skills requiring this new edition to address the emerging challenges that medical professionals may face when communicating with their patients. The book meets the objectives, teaching medical professionals how to communicate effectively with their patients by using a comprehensive, evidence-based approach supported by current research findings about the structure and process skills of communication.
Audience: The book is written for healthcare professionals at any level who wish to enhance their communication skills with their patients. The authors acknowledge that the book can be helpful to a broad audience and the skills can be useful in both professional and personal life. All of the authors have extensive training in communication skills both in theory and in practice.
Features: The first six chapters consist of a medical interview that focuses on a particular communication skill (i.e., content skill, process skill, and perceptual skill) which is examined in depth. Chapter one specifically gives an overview of the communication skills curriculum with a special emphasis on the Calgary-Cambridge Guides. The last chapter of the book addresses specific issues to core communication skills that may be challenging to healthcare providers. The core communication skills are covered well and promote the message that a collaborative relationship between patient and provider is essential. The medical interview that is embedded in each of the first six chapters gives readers an opportunity to visually process each of the communication skills. Each chapter includes current, evidence-based literature to shed additional light on best practices regarding specific communication skills that are being used by providers in practice settings. The basic framework, along with the expanded framework, is nicely illustrated and easy to understand. Another remarkable feature is the discussion of specific communication issues (i.e., breaking bad news, addiction, and cultural issues) that are challenging for healthcare providers. Unique features that stand out are the preface for both the second and third editions of the book, which inform readers about the history and background of both editions.
Assessment: This is a high-quality, practical book for all healthcare providers across care settings that focuses on the core communication skills that healthcare providers need when interacting with patients. The book emphasizes through the use of effective communication skills the importance of a collaborative patient and provider relationship. Other books, such as Communication in Healthcare, Bryan (Peter Lang, 2009), do not have a framework that is threaded throughout that addresses teaching communication skills to healthcare providers. The third edition of this book builds upon the earlier version and provides critical information that is needed by healthcare providers to enhance their communication skills to improve patient outcomes.
