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Table 1 The percentage of agreement among Family Physicians on Key Competencies and the competencies represented by each group of Key Competencies

From: Clinical communication skills and professionalism education are required from the beginning of medical training - a point of view of family physicians

Clinical Communication Skills (Key Competencies)

Group of Competencies (Fragments) (CCS)*

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Communicate effectively according to given roles

44%

3%

2%

1%

7%

7%

5%

3%

2%

0%

0%

0%

Establish a therapeutic and professional relationship

4%

1%

42%

0%

2%

0%

1%

0%

0%

5%

0%

0%

Build a suitable relationship

3%

49%

29%

6%

7%

6%

1%

2%

0%

0%

0%

0%

Involve the bio-psycho-social context

1%

0%

0%

7%

2%

8%

0%

2%

0%

0%

2%

84%

Understand the perspective of the patient and his or her family

2%

1%

3%

63%

6%

2%

5%

2%

6%

0%

2%

11%

Adapt communication according to the patient and his or her family

18%

5%

3%

3%

1%

71%

8%

2%

2%

0%

3%

0%

Engage patients and families to share in decision-making

3%

27%

9%

10%

11%

0%

10%

0%

0%

5%

63%

0%

Support decision-making based on the needs and interests of the patient

1%

8%

8%

7%

13%

3%

15%

4%

0%

79%

12%

5%

Structure and organize communication/clinical interviews

6%

2%

0%

1%

37%

1%

6%

85%

2%

5%

1%

0%

Inform patients and family adequately

9%

0%

2%

0%

2%

2%

40%

0%

0%

0%

14%

0%

Communicate bad news appropriately

5%

0%

0%

2%

0%

2%

4%

0%

87%

0%

0%

0%

None of the Key Competencies

4%

3%

2%

1%

11%

0%

3%

2%

0%

5%

0%

0%

Group of Competencies (Fragments) (CCS)*

Competency (Fragments)

1

Communicate effectively with patients, families and the public

Communicate effectively in wider roles including health advocacy, teaching, assessing and appraising. Communicate effectively about ethical issues with patients and family

Communicate effectively in various roles, for example, as patient advocate, teacher, manager or improvement leader

Uses effective and efficient communication and management strategies

Demonstrate by listening, sharing and responding, the ability to communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patients and their family/careers

Communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patients, their relatives or other carers, and colleagues from the medical and other professions, by listening, sharing and responding

Demonstrate by listening, sharing and responding, the ability to communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patients and their family/careers

2

Building relationship (Using appropriate non-verbal behaviour, Developing rapport and Involving the patient)

Shaping of relationship: involves the patient in the interaction using a patient-centered approach

Recognizes the patient as a partner in shaping a relationship

3

Involves the patient in the interaction to establish a therapeutic relationship using a patient-centered approach.

Relates to the patient respectfully including ensuring confidentiality, privacy and autonomy...

Establish professional therapeutic relationships with patients and their families

Create and sustain a therapeutic, ethical relationships with patients

4

Gathering information (Exploration of patient’s problems and Additional skills for understanding the patient’s perspective)

Encourage the patient to express own ideas, concerns, expectations and feelings and accepts legitimacy of patients views and feeling

Understand the Patient’s Perspective

5

Gather information

Information: effectively collects the relevant information for the reasoning and decision-making process

Effectively collects relevant information for reasoning and decision making

Initiating the session (Establishing initial rapport and Identifying the reason(s) for the consultation)

Open the Discussion

6

Communication in the doctor–patient relationship: orients her communication behaviour along the actual concerns and the personality of the patient

Social behaviour and communication: adapts her social behaviour and communication to different social contexts and communication partners.

Adapts own communication to the level of understanding and language of the patient, uses techniques aproppriates for this

7

Explanation and planning (Providing the correct amount and type of information, Aiding accurate recall and understanding...)

Information: effectively communicates the relevant information for the reasoning and decision-making process

Effectively communicates relevant information for reasoning and decision making. Gives information to the patient in a timely, comprehensive and meaningful manner

Elicit and synthesize accurate and relevant information, incorporating the perspectives of patients and their families

8

Shapes a conversation from beginning to end with regard to structure (e.g. introduction, initiating the conversation, gathering and giving information, planning, closing interview, setting up next meeting; time management)

Providing structure (Making organization overt And Attending to flow)

9

Communicate appropriately with difficult or violent patients; people with mental illness and vulnerable patients//Communicate appropriately in difficult circumstances, such as when breaking bad news, and when discussing sensitive issues, such as alcohol consumption, smoking or obesity

Recognizes difficult situations and communication challenges and deals with them sensitively and constructively

10

;...developing plans that reflect the patient’s health care needs and goals

11

Involve patients in decision-making and planning their treatment, including communicating risk and benefits of management options.

Engage patients and their families...

Share information

Explanation and planning (Achieving a shared understanding: incorporating the patient’s perspective and Planning: shared decision making)

Share health care information and plans with patients and their families

12

Elicits and explores the content of the patient’s bio-psycho-social history.

Interpersonal Communication (Key Competencies)

Number (IC)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Work effectively in multidisciplinary team, adapting to the particularities of each team and given roles

72%

30%

87%

55%

25%

9%

12%

0%

0%

0%

Perform consulting, helping colleagues, other professionals, and the healthcare system

11%

26%

0%

0%

39%

82%

6%

5%

0%

0%

Communicate effectively to promote understanding and resolve conflicts, aiming to ensure the success of teamwork

11%

19%

13%

30%

6%

0%

65%

11%

82%

18%

Perform teamwork, aiming to ensure patient safety

6%

7%

0%

10%

9%

0%

6%

79%

0%

5%

Communicate about ethical issues with other health professionals

0%

4%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

18%

77%

None of the Key Competencies

0%

15%

0%

5%

19%

9%

11%

5%

0%

0%

Number (IC)

Competency (Fragments)

1

Work effectively with physicians and other colleagues in the health care professions

2

Communicate effectively with physicians, other health professionals and health-related agencies

3

Team building and working in a team: adapts her behaviour to different phases of team building and efficiently shapes her working style to contribute to a successful team

4

Shows ability to communicate effectively in multi-professional teams

5

Contribute to the improvement of health care delivery in teams, organizations, and systems

6

Act in a consultative role to other physicians, health-related agencies and policy-makers

7

Work with physicians and other colleagues in the healthcare professions to promote understanding, manage differences, and resolve conflicts

8

Demonstrate by listening, sharing and responding, the ability to communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with doctors and other health professionals.

9

Hand over the care of a patient to another health care professional to facilitate continuity of safe patient care

10

Communicate effectively about ethical issues with health care professionals.

Leadership (Key Competencies)

Number (Leadership)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Demonstrate basic leadership skills

94%

82%

80%

73%

100%

24%

14%

Engage in the management of human and health care resources

0%

9%

5%

20%

0%

76%

81%

None of the Key Competencies

6%

9%

15%

7%

0%

0%

5%

Number (Leadership)

Competency (Fragments)

1

Demonstrate leadership in professional practice

2

Work with other care providers as a team leader or member

3

Describe the principles and practice of leadership in health care.

4

Leadership: shows basic competencies in leadership skills and supports the development and maintenance of the teamwork with her behavior

5

Shows basic competencies in leadership skills

6

Engage in the stewardship of health care resources.

7

Manage career planning, finances, and health human resources in a practice