A strategy to improve communication between health care professionals and people living with cancer. I. Improvement of teaching and assessment of doctor-patient communication in Canadian medical schools.

Abstract

A task force was established by the Canadian Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute of Canada to make recommendations aimed at improving communication between health care professionals and people living with cancer. An annotated bibliography of the research literature on the subject was commissioned by the task force. This was followed by a research workshop. With this background, the task force organized a workshop on "The Teaching and Assessment of Communication Skills in Canadian Medical Schools." Participants included expert panelists; senior faculty from all Canadian medical schools; representatives from patient and ethnic groups, faculties of nursing and social work, the Canadian licensing and accrediting bodies, the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. A consensus statement regarding general principles, recommendations, and requirements for implementation of improved teaching and assessment of doctor-patient communication in Canadian medical schools was produced and circulated widely throughout Canada. The initial response to this initiative has been positive.