It simply lists all the describable micro skills of doctors talking with and listening to patients. The masterstroke is to link the skills to the reaserch evidence of their effectiveness.

Now we know which skills to deploy with patients and we know why it matters.

Link this to an effective teaching and learning method (e.g. see the companion volume "Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine") and you are off on a lifelong journey of effective skill development.

The style is a little dry but then so is the bible in places. It is packed with accurately researched references. All we need is an updated edition - but none of this has gone out of date.

This book is so good I formed a company on the basis of it.


A comprehesive review of the communication skills literarure   November 30, 1999
 14 out of 14 found this review helpful

These two books provide a comprehensive approach to improving communication between doctors and patients through all levels of medical education. They take an evidence based approach which will finally lay to rest the myth that communication cannot be taught. The material presented is carefully documented from research. The books are the result of a collaboration between two general practitioners and a Professor of Communication from Canada.

The first book, Teaching and Learning Communication Skills in Medicine, describes how to construct a communication skills curriculum and explores the teaching and learning methods that may be employed. The second book, Skills for Communicating with Patients, examines how these skills are used in the medical interview and also provides evidence of improvements to practice and to health outcomes. The authors identify parallels between effective teaching and effective clinical communication. They point out how helpful it is for clinical communication teachers from a medical background to realise that the skills that they need to understand how to communicate effectively with patients, are the same as those they need for facilitating learners. A central part of the second book is the Calgary-Cambridge observation guide which is a highly structured framework for analysing consultations. The structure proposed for the consultation is based on five areas:

Initiating Gathering Information Building the Relationship

Explanation and Planning Closing the Session The books cover many useful areas such as giving feedback, assessment, developing a programme; however for some the structured approach it advocates may be inhibiting.

These books fill a gap in the market in that they cover what to teach, how to teach and the training required for facilitators. I would recommend all of you who are interested in teaching, or improving, your own communication skills to take a look at these books.