Authors (including presenting author) :
Chief Authors: Ivy L Y WONG (1), Teresa P K TSE (2) Co-authors: Lisa LAU KCH (3), Natalie LEUNG (4), Y F CHOI (5)
Affiliation :
(1) Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, Princess Magaret Hospital, KWC (2) Department of Neurosurgery, Princess Magaret Hospital, KWC (3) Department of Psychiatry, Kwai Chung Hospital, KWC (4) Cluster Quality and Safety Department, KWC (5) Accident and Emergency Department, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, HKEC
Introduction :
Effective clinical communication is a cornerstone of high-quality healthcare, significantly influencing patient outcomes and satisfaction. In hospital settings, the ability of doctors to communicate clearly and compassionately with patients and their families, as well as with fellow healthcare professionals, is crucial for fostering a supportive environment. Despite the importance of these skills, many residents report feeling unprepared for the complexities of clinical communication. The KWC clinical communication course addresses this gap by focusing on developing competencies in patient-centered communication, enhancing interprofessional collaboration, and promoting teamwork. This course aims to equip residents with the necessary tools to navigate challenging conversations, ultimately improving health outcomes and patient experiences.
Objectives :
1) To equip KWC residents with essential and practical clinical communication skills when facing patients and their relatives 2) To enhance interprofessional communication, collaboration and teamwork 3) To improve patient-centered health outcomes 4) To foster a supportive and caring environment in hospital
Methodology :
1) Gap analysis: Obtained information from 4 focus groups, including senior doctors, residents, allied health, and nursing, to determine current training gaps, including in-patient communication, clinical documentation, management of do-not-attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) and handling challenging patients and relatives. 2) Course design: A comprehensive approach with the combination of sharing sessions by ‘color commentator’, guest speaker, lectures, real cases sharing by video, role-play, group discussion and debriefing; interactive games and scenario demonstration were incorporated to achieve the above learning needs. 3) Post-training survey were conducted to evaluate the program and to determine future training directions.
Result & Outcome :
A total of 22 residents from various departments among KWC with less than 3 years of working experience enrolled in this course. Positive feedback was received, with an average score of 4.73 (Likert scale 1-5) for its organization, indicating clarity and logical structure. Participants rated the course ‘s usefulness at 4.64, demonstrating strong relevance to their work. The course was also effective in enhancing clinical communication skills, with an average score of 4.41, and participants expressed a high likelihood of applying the learned skills in practice, reflected by a score of 4.68. Additionally, interest in further learning was notable with an average score of 4.59, and participants indicated they would recommend the course to colleagues, achieving a score of 4.55. Overall, the course effectively meets educational needs and encourages further exploration of clinical communication.
