Dataset Information

Communication between consultants providing advice and referring physicians: a scoping review.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Communication during consultations between referring and consultant physicians is often cited as a source of adverse events, medical error and professional incivility. While existing literature focuses on the role of referring physicians, few studies acknowledge the role of consultant physicians in enhancing communication during consultations. This scoping review aims to identify and synthesise available recommendations to enhance the communication practices of consultants during real-time consultations.

Design

A scoping review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews.

Data sources

Medline, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases were searched from inception to August 2022.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

English-language publications which describe recommendations, strategies or frameworks to improve the communication practices of consultant physicians during real-time consultations with referring physicians.

Data extraction and synthesis

The search strategy included the following concepts: consultation, physician, communication, interprofessional relations and best practice. Two authors independently performed each phase of title and abstract screening, full-text review and data extraction. Discrepancies were resolved by a third author. Extracted data were iteratively analysed and summarised thematically.

Results

Sixteen publications met the inclusion criteria. Synthesis of available recommendations identified organisation, expertise and interpersonal skills as three overarching and interconnected dimensions of communication demonstrated by consultants during effective consultations. Twelve studies identified interpersonal skills as being critical in alleviating the widespread professional incivility that is reported during consultations. Existing recommendations to improve the communication practices of consultants are limited as they lack standardised interventions and fail to comprehensively address all three elements identified in this review.

Conclusion

This scoping review synthesises available recommendations to improve the communication practices of consultant physicians during real-time consultations. An opportunity exists to develop communication tools or educational interventions based on the findings of this review to enhance interphysician consultation encounters.

SUBMITTER: Muftah A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10668268 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Communication between consultants providing advice and referring physicians: a scoping review.

Muftah Amira A Stempien James J Goodridge Donna D Watson Erin E Oyedokun Taofiq T

BMJ open 20231121 11

<h4>Objective</h4>Communication during consultations between referring and consultant physicians is often cited as a source of adverse events, medical error and professional incivility. While existing literature focuses on the role of referring physicians, few studies acknowledge the role of consultant physicians in enhancing communication during consultations. This scoping review aims to identify and synthesise available recommendations to enhance the communication practices of consultants duri ...[more]

PMID: 37989367

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Dataset Information

Communication between consultants providing advice and referring physicians: a scoping review.

Objective

Design

Data sources

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies

Data extraction and synthesis

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Communication between consultants providing advice and referring physicians: a scoping review.

Similar Datasets

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