Teaching communication in an emergency gynecological setting

This study aimed to test whether a difference in communication can change patients’ satisfaction and whether teaching communication through individual experience can motivate residents to improve their communication skills. In the first 115 days of our study, the communication mode of the attending resident remained unaltered. In the second 115 days, the attending resident was instructed to follow a six-point communication standard (CS). In both phases, patients completed a questionnaire regarding their age, waiting time, and description of their condition, plus the PDRQ-9 questionnaire and two questions concerning their satisfaction with the medical visit. In all, 265 questionnaires were evaluated. Of the 35 conditions encountered, six were identified as being associated with increased anxiety (emergency in early pregnancy, bleeding in early pregnancy, early fetal demise, follow-up of early fetal demise, irregular bleeding, and lower abdominal pain). When the satisfaction of the patients presenting with these conditions “before” and “after” the introduction of CS was compared, the difference in satisfaction reached borderline significance (Mann–Whitney U-test 0.066). Ten out of 11 residents commented positively on CS; seven of 11 residents experienced some internal change when using it. Choosing the appropriate words during an emergency medical visit can change a patient’s satisfaction with the visit. When taught through their own experience, residents can be motivated to implement communication tools in their daily routine.