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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Aug 20;20(1):277.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-020-02171-9.

A randomised controlled trial of feedback to improve patient satisfaction and consultation skills in medical students

Michelle M Y Lai  1   2 , Noel Roberts  3 , Mohammadreza Mohebbi  4 , Jenepher Martin  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomised controlled trial of feedback to improve patient satisfaction and consultation skills in medical students

Michelle M Y Lai et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: The use of feedback has been integral to medical student learning, but rigorous evidence to evaluate its education effect is limited, especially in the role of patient feedback in clinical teaching and practice improvement. The aim of the Patient Teaching Associate (PTA) Feedback Study was to evaluate whether additional written consumer feedback on patient satisfaction improved consultation skills among medical students and whether multisource feedback (MSF) improved student performance.

Methods: In this single site, double-blinded randomised controlled trial, 71 eligible medical students from two universities in their first clinical year were allocated to intervention or control and followed up for one semester. They participated in five simulated student-led consultations in a teaching clinic with patient volunteers living with chronic illness. Students in the intervention group received additional written feedback on patient satisfaction combined with guided self-reflection. The control group received usual immediate formative multisource feedback from tutors, patients and peers. Student characteristics, baseline patient-rated satisfaction scores and tutor-rated consultation skills were measured.

Results: Follow-up assessments were complete in 70 students attending the MSF program. At the final consultation episodes, both groups improved patient-rated rapport (P = 0.002), tutor-rated patient-centeredness and tutor-rated overall consultation skills (P = 0.01). The intervention group showed significantly better tutor-rated patient-centeredness (P = 0.003) comparing with the control group. Distress relief, communication comfort, rapport reported by patients and tutor-rated clinical skills did not differ significantly between the two groups.

Conclusions: The innovative multisource feedback program effectively improved consultation skills in medical students. Structured written consumer feedback combined with guided student reflection further improved patient-centred practice and effectively enhanced the benefit of an MSF model. This strategy might provide a valuable adjunct to communication skills education for medical students.

Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number ACTRN12613001055796 .

Keywords: Clinical competence; Clinical skills; Formative feedback; Health behaviour; Medical education; Medical students; Patient satisfaction; Randomised controlled trial.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Trial profile of the PTA Feedback study. PTA = patient teaching associate, n = number
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Boxplots showing the change in rapport and patient-centeredness scores over the study period. a. Rapport increased in both groups after the multisource feedback (MSF) program and b. patient-centeredness has been increased by patient satisfaction feedback intervention
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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