ArticleScandinavian journal of primary health care2021
How to learn skilled communication in primary care MUS consultations: a focus group study.
Article in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Patient and Clinician Perspectives on Communication in Primary Care Centres in Qatar-A Focus Group Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025Article
- Experiences of hospital rotation from family medicine residents' points of view an empirical holistic study.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2024Article
- How should a general practitioner say no to a patient?Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2023Article
- Strategies for achieving efficiency in the general practitioner's everyday life.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2022Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMany general practitioners (GPs) experience communication problems in medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) consultations as they are insufficiently equipped with adequate communication skills or do not apply these in MUS consultations.
objectiveTo define the most important learnable communication elements during MUS consultations according to MUS patients, GPs, MUS experts and teachers and to explore how these elements should be taught to GPs and GP trainees.
methodsFive focus groups were conducted with homogeneous groups of MUS patients, GPs, MUS experts and teachers. MUS patients and GPs formulated a list of important communication elements. MUS experts identified from this list the most important communication elements. Teachers explored how these elements could be trained to GPs and GP trainees. Two researchers independently analysed the data applying the principles of constant comparative analysis.
resultsMUS patients and GPs identified a list of important communication elements. From this list, MUS experts selected five important communication elements: (1) thorough somatic and psychosocial exploration, (2) communication with empathy, (3) creating a shared understanding of the problem, (4) providing a tangible explanation and (5) taking control. Teachers described three teaching methods for these communication elements: (1) awareness and reflection of GPs about their feelings towards MUS patients, (2) assessment of GPs' individual needs and (3) training and supervision in daily practice.
conclusionTeachers consider a focus on personal attitudes and needs, which should be guided by opportunities to practice and receive supervision, as the best method to teach GPs about communication in MUS consultations.KEY POINTSMany GPs experience difficulties in communication with patients with MUS.There is a need to equip GPs with communication skills to manage MUS consultations more adequately.Role-playing with simulation patients, reflection on video-consultations and joint consultations with the supervisor may increase the GPs' awareness of their attitude towards MUS patients and may help GPs to identify their individual learning-points.
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