“Talk to Your Doc”

Tips, Techniques & Lessons LearnedDivision of Health Care Communication - 2008Facilitator Training

Division of Health Care Communication

Workshop ObjectivesWorkshop IntroductionWhat the Past Facilitators saySmall Groups and Role PlaysTalk to Your Doc Q&A gameFAQsLogisticsWorkshop Sign-upSummaryDivision of Health Care Communication - 2008

Division of Health Care Communication - 2008

This is a how to workshop on:Sharing thoughts and opinions with your doctorTalking about sensitive and embarrassing issuesTaking an active role in making decisions about your own healthConfidentiality between you and your doctor, and how it worksEstablish and maintain and independent relationship with your doctor



Break the Ice Build Rapport

Lay out clear objectives

State the importance of what you are there to talk to them about

Be explicit about confidentiality

Opening Skit - Facilitators role play the challenges in doctor-patient communication One student said: Have more structure at the front end of the workshop. What are the objectives whats the point? rather than expecting the students to come up with what they want to do. This will provide focus, and avoid putting students on the spot.



RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTIONIt is very important that the students understand that the responsibility for communicating their needs and health problems is in their hands .

CONFIDENTIALITY

Division of Health Care Communication The law and ethical imperatives When to expect confidentiality

Not all doctors follow these guidelines

Aks about confidentiality


Prepare/present AskCheck your understandingExpress yourselfDivision of Health Care Communication - 2008


Comments about role plays from high school students and teachers:

Role plays treat it as a 2-way learning experience. Students teach the med students what it is really like to interview an adolescent. The more realistic high school students are the more the med students will learn. ~ High school teacher

Reverse the roles so that the high school students can understand the doctors frustration when they dont understand the patient. ~ High school student Division of Health Care Communication - 2008


Where do you find a doctor?What the doctor expects.

What to consider once youve found a doctor.Booking an appointment vs. walk-in clinics.What does a visit entail? (checking in; issues of paying; care card)



Make 2 teams2 minutes for each team to come up with 5 questions for the other team e.g. Communication skills, things you can talk to your doctor about, confidentiality

Division of Health Care Communication Let the students answer (but give hints to your team to encourage them) Include quiet students


STDs and contraceptionHow to find a good doctorWhat doctors think of their patientsWalk-in ClinicsMedical schooletc.



Time Room set up Randomize to get a mix of students and avoid students hiding behind their friends. But... consider unisex groups...Division of Health Care Communication - 2008



Give each student a chance to role play the patient Do a scenario for each P.A.C.E skill Information on how to find a doctor Discuss confidentiality Talk about embarrassing topics Leave time for evaluations


Division of Health Care CommunicationGroup 1 - Confidentiality

Group 2 - Discussing embarrassing topics

Group 3 - How to find a doctor


***One student said: Have more structure at the front end of the workshop. What are the objectives whats the point? rather than expecting the students to come up with what they want to do. This will provide focus, and avoid putting students on the spot.

Emphasize that high school students now have many supports (e.g. peer counsellors) but when they leave high school they may not have the same support network, so now is a good time to develop a strong relationship with their doctor. Note: Emphasize that this is often in their hands! We cant change all the doctors, so the students must make the effort.

*RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACTIONGrade 10 student, 2008 - Youre always the patient and youre always the helpless one, youre always the one that doesnt know what theyre doing and stuff so then if you ask a question and the doctor doesnt understand what youre talking about that would be like okay I just asked a really, really dumb question here to a really, really professional doctor.

Even though it can be hard sometimes, the doctor cannot help you if you dont speak up There are no stupid questions!!

CONFIDENTIALITYEvaluation results have shown that confidentiality is the number one thing students learned about in these workshops, so be sure to address the topic clearly and fully and include the following aspects:

*Seven communication skills

1. Articulate health problems systematically2. Ask questions and listen carefully to understand and share relevant information3. Be honest about your emotions4. Discuss your ideas and concerns, even if you feel awkward about them5. Work through disagreements6. Ask for a brief summary of findings. Diagnoses and recommendations7. Agree on an action plan

*One high school student suggested: Increase the amount of interaction. If students feel uncomfortable talking about an issue with a doctor they will also feel uncomfortable talking about it in a group. Provide the opportunity for students to try out and practice techniques in realistic encounters ie. If a student says I would just ask about birth control then respond with Lets try it Set up the scenario and do a 2 minute encounter.

Set up encounters as realistically as possible when in the encounter, stay in role. If you or the student needs to take a time out, do so. Discuss what was challenging and how it could be eased. Then try it again.

Comments about role plays from high school students and teachers:

Role plays treat it as a 2-way learning experience. Students teach the med students what it is really like to interview an adolescent. The more realistic high school students are the more the med students will learn.Reverse the roles so that the high school students can understand the doctors frustration when they dont understand the patient. *New website resources for teens.*Combine the small groups into 2 larger teams.

Take 2 minutes and get the students on each team to come up with 5 questions for the other team. Try and cover: communication skills, things you can talk to your doctor about, and confidentiality. You can add to this how ever you like. If time permits it might be fun to have the students select or create a scenario for the other team to perform correctly as one of their questions. Have one med student on each team serve as the judge if necessary. Let the students answer but you can give hints to your team to encourage them try giving hints to the quiet students to help include them.This should take approx. 10 minutes.

*Often times students want to know about how to become a doctor or how to get into med school- if you find yourself fielding too many questions like this or that the conversation steers too far in this direction, you may want to try something like informing the students that that is not why you are here to talk to them today and directing them to the UBC Faculty of Medicine website or other resources for that type of information, or offer to answer medical-school related questions at the end of the presentation.

Find info on new website.*Time the workshopLeave 10 minutes at the end for students to complete the evaluations. At the workshop, if you need to cut time cut it from the middle, not from the conclusion. Allow for 5 minutes for students to move from the large group into small groups and another 5 minutes for them to move back into the large group.

Pay attention to the room set up An open ring of chairs (with no table) promotes open discussion. If the room is not how you want it set up when you get there talk with the teacher about changing the set up and do it!

Pick groups randomly to get a mix of students and avoid students hiding behind their friends. You may want to ask for the teachers help in getting the groups together before you arrive.

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Documents

“Talk to Your Doc”