AEM Education & Training 25: Videotaped Unannounced Standardized Patient Encounters to Evaluate Interpersonal and Communication Skills in Emergency Medicine Residents

Welcome to the 25th episode of AEM Education and Training, a podcast collaboration between the Academic Emergency Medicine E&T Journal and Brown Emergency Medicine. Each quarter, we'll give you digital open access to AEM E&T Articles or Articles in Press, with an author interview podcast and links to curated supportive educational materials for EM learners and medical educators.

Find this podcast series on iTunes here.

DISCUSSIon(click title to access):

Videotaped Unannounced Standardized Patient Encounters to Evaluate Interpersonal and Communication Skills in Emergency Medicine Residents. Arlene S. Chung MD, MACM, Sally Bogoch MD, MSEd, Shivani Mody DO, MSEd, Colleen Smith MD, Illya Pushkar MPH, Jefferson Drapkin, David Saloum MD, MACM

LISTEN NOW: Interview with Dr Arlene Chung

Arlene S. Chung MD, MACM

Residency Program Director

Maimonides Medical Center Emergency Medicine Residency Program

Brooklyn, New York

ABSTRACT

Background

Communication and interpersonal skills are important for effective patient care but are difficult to measure. Unannounced standardized patient encounters (USPEs) have the benefit of providing a standardized situation and provide a representation of usual care rather than best behavior, while also allowing for video recording without violating patient privacy. We conducted a feasibility pilot study to examine the use of videotaped USPEs in resident education of interpersonal and communication skills and specifically empathy.

Methods

This was a pilot study conducted at an urban community teaching hospital. About 16 first‐year emergency medicine engaged in four videotaped USPEs during their normal clinical shifts during 1 academic year. All visible recording equipment was concealed from the residents. The standardized patients completed two assessment forms after each encounter to measure empathy.

Results

All 16 residents engaged in four videotaped USPEs for a total of 64 encounters.

Conclusions

We were able to successfully demonstrate the feasibility of using USPEs for assessment of resident interpersonal and communication skills.