Validation of the ComCare index for rater-based assessment of medical communication and interpersonal skills

TY - JOUR

T1 - Validation of the ComCare index for rater-based assessment of medical communication and interpersonal skills

AU - Gärtner, Julia

AU - Bußenius, Lisa

AU - Schick, Kristina

AU - Prediger, Sarah

AU - Kadmon, Martina

AU - Berberat, Pascal O

AU - Harendza, Sigrid

N1 - Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PY - 2022/4

Y1 - 2022/4

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a short instrument to assess undergraduate medical students' communication and interpersonal skills in videographed history taking situations with simulated patients.METHODS: Sixty-seven undergraduate medical students participating in an assessment including videographed physician-patient encounters for history taking with five simulated patients were included in this study. The last video of each participant's consultation hour was rated by two independent assessors with the eight-item ComCare index for assessment of communication and interpersonal skills newly designed for the external rater perspective (ComCareR). We compared the sum scores of the ComCareR with ratings of the same videos with the Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Form from an observational perspective (KCSAFd-video) and the Global Rating scale (GR), which also measure communication and interpersonal skills.RESULTS: The ComCareR showed an excellent interrater reliability (ICC = .85). We found a small but significant correlation with the KCSAFd-video Interpersonal Competence (ρ = .34, 95% CI [.10,.54]) and a high positive correlation with the GR (ρ = .59, 95% CI [.40,.73]).CONCLUSIONS: The ComCareR is a valid and brief index for holistic assessment of communication and interpersonal skills in physician-patient encounters.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The ComCareR can be used for quick rater-based assessment of physicians' communication and interpersonal skills.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a short instrument to assess undergraduate medical students' communication and interpersonal skills in videographed history taking situations with simulated patients.METHODS: Sixty-seven undergraduate medical students participating in an assessment including videographed physician-patient encounters for history taking with five simulated patients were included in this study. The last video of each participant's consultation hour was rated by two independent assessors with the eight-item ComCare index for assessment of communication and interpersonal skills newly designed for the external rater perspective (ComCareR). We compared the sum scores of the ComCareR with ratings of the same videos with the Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Form from an observational perspective (KCSAFd-video) and the Global Rating scale (GR), which also measure communication and interpersonal skills.RESULTS: The ComCareR showed an excellent interrater reliability (ICC = .85). We found a small but significant correlation with the KCSAFd-video Interpersonal Competence (ρ = .34, 95% CI [.10,.54]) and a high positive correlation with the GR (ρ = .59, 95% CI [.40,.73]).CONCLUSIONS: The ComCareR is a valid and brief index for holistic assessment of communication and interpersonal skills in physician-patient encounters.PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The ComCareR can be used for quick rater-based assessment of physicians' communication and interpersonal skills.

U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2021.07.051

DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2021.07.051

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 34389227

VL - 105

SP - 1004

EP - 1008

JO - PATIENT EDUC COUNS

JF - PATIENT EDUC COUNS

SN - 0738-3991

IS - 4

ER -