Hospital systems could improve the patient experience and physician engagement by providing physician communication skills training (CST), according to a study published in Patient Experience Journal.

In this study, researchers evaluated effects of a 7.5-hour CST workshop on participants' self-efficacy, attitudes and behaviors toward communicating with patients. Data was collected from October 2014 to June 2016 from questionnaires sent six weeks after the workshop.

A total of 161 responses from 490 physicians were collected, showing improvements in self-efficacy, attitudes and behaviors related to communicating with patients.

“Our conclusion is that a 7.5-hour hospital-wide, multi-specialty physician CST can be effective in improving participants’ self-efficacy, attitudes, and behaviors toward communicating with patients,” wrote first author Minna Saslaw, of the department of pediatrics at Columbia University Medical Center, and colleagues.