Abstract
Background/Aims Effective communication is an essential component of high quality cancer care. Preventing breakdowns and mitigating their harmful effects requires a thorough understanding of the communication process, including the number and types of interactions that a patient experiences over time and the impact of these experiences on the patient. This pilot study investigated the feasibility of “communication logs” to collect primary data on the number, type, mode, and impact of patient-provider communications over the cancer care continuum.
Methods English speaking patients, >21 years old, with recent cancer diagnoses were recruited from 4 CRN sites. Clinical staff identified patients meeting eligibility criteria. Patients who agreed to participate were interviewed about their previous communication experiences and asked to maintain a communication log for 4 months, noting all encounters with cancer care providers. Logs could be completed on paper, web-based, or telephone and prompted recording of who was present during the encounter, whether it was in-person, telephone, or email, key content, and global ratings of the communication experience. Participants who logged were asked to complete a post-log interview focused on the experience, timing, and perceived burden of logging.
Results Three CRN sites recruited a total of 9 cancer patients. One site was unable to recruit any patients. Four types of cancer were represented (1 thyroid, 1 sarcoma, 1 bladder, 6 breast cancer). Patients’ ages ranged from 41 to 69 years. Only 4 patients completed logs; 5 patients reported on their communication experiences in retrospective interviews. Five patients described 10 or more provider encounters in detail. All patients who completed logs chose the web-based option and reported no difficulty submitting logs online. Reports of communication experiences varied (“He [the provider] didn’t seem interested. It was like he’d rather be somewhere else.” vs. “He [the provider] never made me feel like I was annoying him with my questions.”). Main factors contributing to a helpful communication experience included perceived provider sensitivity and sufficient information provided about diagnosis or treatment.
Discussion Initial results revealed difficulty recruiting patients early in cancer care. Those who did participate provided valuable information on their experiences, and reported that logging was not burdensome.
