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What does the structure of a medical consultation look like? A new method for visualising doctor-patient communication

Manalastas, G; Noble, LM; Viney, R; Griffin, AE; (2021) What does the structure of a medical consultation look like? A new method for visualising doctor-patient communication. Patient Education and Counseling , 104 (6) pp. 1387-1397. 10.1016/j.pec.2020.11.026. Green open access

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Abstract

Objective: This project developed an innovative methodology for visualising consultation structure by categorising doctor-patient talk into the phases proposed by an established educational model of clinical communication. / Method: Consultation phases were identified from verbatim transcripts using the tasks and process skills of the Calgary-Cambridge Guide to the Medical Interview. Seventy-eight simulated consultations from a ‘History-taking’ station of a postgraduate examination for physicians were analysed by two independent raters. Transcripts were converted into diagrams comprising up to six phases: Initiating, Gathering information, Summary, Explanation, Planning and Closing. / Results: The dominant phases were Gathering information, Planning and Explanation (66 %, 10 % and 12 % of talk respectively). While consultations broadly followed the expected chronological sequence, less than a third (23/78) contained all six phases, with Closing and Summary most frequently absent. Half of consultations (40/78) did not include phases in the predicted order, with intertwined phases commonly observed. / Conclusions: In this standardised setting, doctors created variable consultation structures, typically omitting phases involving consolidation and agreement of plans going forward. / Practice implications: The method enables visualisation and comparison of consultation structure. The findings pose questions about the alignment of practice with educational guidance and the opportunities afforded to patients to actively engage in consultations.

Type: Article
Title: What does the structure of a medical consultation look like? A new method for visualising doctor-patient communication
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.11.026
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2020.11.026
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Consultation structure, Calgary-Cambridge Guide, Patient-centred communication, Patient autonomy, Clinical communication, Medical education, Postgraduate assessment
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Medical Sciences > UCL Medical School
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10116024
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