Evaluation of a Multidisciplinary Professional Development Activity to Enhance Communication Skills Based on Calgary Cambridge Model

Abstract

Communication skills are essential for all categories of health care workers. The Calgary Cambridge Model of communication is accepted as a doctor patient communication model in Europe and Canada. It has world-wide recognition and is now used as a model for teaching communication in disciplines like nursing and veterinary science. Since the value of an interdisciplinary approach in continuous professional development has been recognised and all categories of health care professionals face similar challenges with regards to communication with patients an educational activity was developed to facilitate the learning of communication skills as a multidisciplinary team. Feedback on this program was accessed by means of observations, questionnaire and focus group discussions. Results revealed that there was positive feedback on this approach as a means of communications skills training.