Existing instruments for assessing physician communication skills: are they valid in a computerized setting?

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to highlight the differences in physicians' scores on two communication assessment tools: the SEGUE and an EMR-specific communication skills checklist. The first tool ignores the presence of the EMR in the exam room and the second, though not formally validated, rather focuses on it.

METHODS

We use the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test to compare physicians' scores on each of the tools during 16 simulated medical encounters that were rated by two different raters.

RESULTS

Results show a significant difference between physicians' scores on each tool (z=-3.519, p<0.05 for the first rater, and z=-3.521, p<0.05 for the second rater), while scores on the EMR-specific communication skills checklist were significantly and consistently lower.

CONCLUSION

These results imply that current communication assessment tools that do not incorporate items that are relevant for communication tasks during EMR use may produce inaccurate results.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

We therefore suggest that a new instrument, possibly an extension of existing ones, should be developed and empirically validated.