Table 2 Systematic reviews on communication in healthcare
From: Scoping review of patient-centered care approaches in healthcare
Systematic review | Clinical context | PCC focus | # Studies reviewed | Key findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Beck, Daughtridge & Sloane [29] | Primary Care | Yes | 22 | • Physician behavior linked with positive patient outcomes, adherence, and patient satisfaction |
Chan et al. [30] | Pre-operative Care | Yes | 11 | • Sharing information, family involvement, autonomy, and professionalism are key |
• Knowledgeable clinicians with positive attitudes enhance patient “journey” | ||||
Davis et al. [31] | Oncology | Yes | 21 | • Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with cancer must be discussed using effective communication skills in order to avoid patients failing to disclose use with clinician |
Edwards et al. [32] | Genetics | Yes | 28 | • Clinician provision of support and sharing emotion proven to be more beneficial to patients than sharing information |
Edwards et al. [33] | Primary Care | Yes | 96 | • Including patients in risk estimates during discussion between patients and clinicians regarding genetic screening results is productive |
Egan et al. [34] | Alzheimer’s Disease | Not Clear | 13 | • Employing memory aids and specific caregiver training programs enhances verbal communication, specifically information uptake with patients with Alzheimer’s Disease |
Eggenberger, Heimerl & Bennett [35] | Dementia | Yes | 12 | • Enhancing communication skills of professionals working with dementia patients results in improvements of patient quality of life, positive interactions with peers, and organization of care |
Fawole et al. [36] | Palliative Care | Yes | 20 | • Improving palliative care communication with patients includes improving healthcare utilization and patient/family consultations |
Finke, Light & Kitko [37] | Nursing | Not Clear | 12 | • Improving communication between nurses and non-verbal patients is necessary to reduce patient frustration |
Hancock et al. [38] | Palliative Care | Not Clear | 51 | • Patients’ perceptions of shared information are inconsistent with healthcare professional’s perceptions of the information provided |
• Healthcare professionals “underestimate” patient need for information and “overestimate” patient understanding of illness | ||||
Harrington, Noble & Newman [39] | Primary Care | Yes | 25 | • Improvements in perceptions of autonomy impacts information recall, adherence, attendance, and clinical outcomes following intervention studies aimed to augment patient participation in medical interactions |
Henry et al. [40] | Primary Care | Yes | 26 | • Increased patient satisfaction was correlated with positive/warm clinician interactions with active listening |
Janssen & Largo-Janssen [41] | Gynecology | Yes | 9 | • Patient-centered communication styles increase patient satisfaction |
Laidsaar-Powell et al. [42] | Primary Care | Yes | 52 | • Triadic communication (patient-clinician-family member) involves: encouraging family involvement in care, re-enforcing positive family contributions, identifying roles of patients and family members |
Oliveira et al. [43] | Primary Care | Yes | 27 | • Communication indicating valuing patient autonomy is correlated with high patient satisfaction |
Parker et al. [44] | Palliative Care | Not Clear | 123 | • At end-of-life, patients want less information sharing and caregivers want more information sharing |
• Patients value empathic and honest clinicians who encourage questions and facilitate discussions | ||||
Pinto et al. [45] | Rehabilitation | Yes | 12 | • The “therapeutic alliance” is enhanced by emotional support provision and patient participation during consultation |
Rodin et al. [46] | Oncology | Yes | 21 | • Patients have varying communication needs and may prefer professional-centric communication over patient-centered communication, therefore clinicians are encouraged to individualize their communication styles to patient needs |
Scheunemann et al. [47] | Intensive Care | Yes | 2841 | • Printed communication aids, structured communication from the healthcare team, and ethics consultations improve emotional outcomes for families in the ICU |
Slort et al. [48] | Palliative Care | Yes | 15 | • Clinician availability and openness to facilitating discussions about end-of-life care, including reflection on poor outcomes, facilitates patient-clinician communication |
Tay, Hegney & Ang [49] | Nursing | Not Clear | 8 | • While patient and clinician characteristics are found to influence communication, the role of the environment in effective communication between these two parties is not well documented |
• Reception to patient cues and effective information sharing builds relationships with patients and maintains open communication | ||||
Thompson & McCabe [50] | Psychiatry | Not Clear | 23 | • A strong clinician-patient relationship that involves effective communication is correlated with adherence |
• Clinicians wishing to promote patient-clinician collaboration must attempt to find common ground with patients and share decision making roles | ||||
Uitterhoeve et al. [51] | Oncology | Not Clear | 7 | • No correlation was found between effective communication training and patient distress outcomes |
Vasse et al. [52] | Dementia | Not Clear | 19 | • Improving communication with patients with dementia can improve daily care activities and intervention outcomes; however, has little impact on neuropsychiatric symptoms |
Wanyonyi & Themessl-Huber [53] | Primary Care | Yes | 6 | • Clinicians should allocate time to “discover their patients’ psycho-social characteristics” in order to achieve health promotion |