B Thewes1, P Butow, E Davis, J Turner, C Mason. 1. Centre for Medical Psychology and Evidence-Based Decision-making, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia, belinda.thewes@sydney.edu.au.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Little is known about how psychologists working in cancer care centres communicate clinical information to other members of the multidisciplinary team or what information is communicated. PURPOSE: This study surveyed Australian cancer care psychologists regarding their communication practices and their views on barriers to and facilitators of effective inter-disciplinary communication. METHODS: Psychologists were invited to complete an online survey containing purpose-designed items that addressed study aims. RESULTS: Forty-four psychologists completed the survey. Psychologists' most common method of recording initial consultations was in patient medical records, with 69 % of respondents recording notes in either most of the time or all of the time. Twenty-two percent of psychologists said they did not regularly feedback the results of an initial assessment to a referrer and more than 40 % used verbal and e-mail communication to do so. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data that will assist in the development of guidelines for inter-professional communication between psychologists and other members of the cancer care team.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about how psychologists working in cancer care centres communicate clinical information to other members of the multidisciplinary team or what information is communicated. PURPOSE: This study surveyed Australian cancer care psychologists regarding their communication practices and their views on barriers to and facilitators of effective inter-disciplinary communication. METHODS: Psychologists were invited to complete an online survey containing purpose-designed items that addressed study aims. RESULTS: Forty-four psychologists completed the survey. Psychologists' most common method of recording initial consultations was in patient medical records, with 69 % of respondents recording notes in either most of the time or all of the time. Twenty-two percent of psychologists said they did not regularly feedback the results of an initial assessment to a referrer and more than 40 % used verbal and e-mail communication to do so. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data that will assist in the development of guidelines for inter-professional communication between psychologists and other members of the cancer care team.
Authors: J H Chang; E Vines; H Bertsch; D L Fraker; B J Czerniecki; E F Rosato; T Lawton; E F Conant; S G Orel; L Schuchter; K R Fox; N Zieber; J H Glick; L J Solin Journal: Cancer Date: 2001-04-01 Impact factor: 6.860