Communication During Medical Consultations in Singapore -Pilot

NCT03671382 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: LCPC-IN
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 104
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Despite advanced cancer patients and their caregivers frequently experiencing psychological distress and wanting to know about their prognosis, oncologists rarely respond with empathy and provide adequate information regarding patient prognosis. We aim to address the communication gap during consultations by developing an Oncologist E-Learning Communications Skills Training Program guiding physicians on how to recognize and respond to patient/caregiver distress and to disclose prognosis; and a Patient Prompt Sheet to encourage discussions of psychological distress and prognosis. We will assess the feasibility of delivering this two-component intervention program within a cancer center in Singapore through a 2-arm randomized controlled trial in which 8 oncologists will be randomly assigned to Control Arm (n=4) and Intervention Arm (n=4). Oncologists in the intervention arm will receive the E-Learning Program. Their patients will also receive the Patient Prompt Sheet before their consultation with oncologist. After completion of oncologist intervention we will audio-record and survey 3 patients with Stage IV cancer and their caregivers per oncologist before and after their consultations. If the study is shown to be feasible and acceptable, then its effectiveness will be assessed in a larger trial.

Conditions

Communication Research

Keywords

Cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Assess feasibility and acceptability of intervention

  Measured by proportion of intervention arm oncologists completing their intervention

  up to 3 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Assess increase in number of empathic statements by oncologists

  within 5 months

• Assess increase in number of questions related to their prognosis asked by patients

  within 5 months

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Arm

EXPERIMENTAL

Communication Training Program and Patient Prompt Sheet

Behavioral: Communication Training Program and Patient Prompt Sheet

Control Arm

NO INTERVENTION

Oncologists will not receive the communication skills training program and their patients will not receive the Patient Prompt Sheet

Interventions

Communication Training Program and Patient Prompt Sheet BEHAVIORAL

The intervention being delivered is a two-component intervent. First component is the Oncologist Communication Skills Training Program. This is an e-learning module teaching oncologists to recognize and respond to patient/caregiver distress, provide information including prognosis and discuss goals of care. The second component is a patient prompt sheet which will be administered to three patients of intervention arm oncologists in the waiting area at least 30 minutes before their consultation. The sheet includes structured questions for patients to ask the oncologist about diagnosis and prognosis and will prompt patients to label and express their emotions in a direct manner.

Intervention Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• All consultants and senior residents/registrars in the Departments of Medical Oncology at National Cancer Centre, Singapore
• Able to allow audio-recording during consultation
• Age ≥ 21 years old
• Patients who are consulting an oncologist who is participating in the study
• Patients who are Singaporeans or Singapore Permanent Residents
• Diagnosis of stage IV cancer (with metastasis to visceral organs)
• Able to allow audio-recording during consultation

You may not qualify if:

• a. Rejecting audio-recording during consultation
• Age ≤ 21 years old
• Patients who are not Singaporeans or Singapore Permanent Residents
• Rejecting audio-recording during consultation
• Patients with psychiatric or cognitive disorder.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Cancer Centre Singapore

Singapore, 169610, Singapore

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms

Study Officials

• Chetna Malhotra, MD, MPH

  Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 2, 2018
• First Posted: September 14, 2018
• Study Start: July 31, 2018
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2019
• Study Completion: February 1, 2019
• Last Updated: February 8, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SG (1)