Improving Patient Experience with Provider Communication: Systematic Review of Interventions, Implementation Strategies, and Their Effectiveness

Background: Provider communication with patients may be improved through training, shadow coaching, and other in-service interventions. We aim to synthesize these interventions, implementation strategies, and their impact on the patient experience. Methods: A systematic review of contemporary evidence (2015-2023). Six scientific databases, specialty journals, and snowballing searches identified training, shadow coaching, and other in-service interventions for improving provider communication with patients, evaluated by standardized patient experience measures. Studies without inferential statistics were excluded. Two independent reviewers assessed the studies' eligibility and methodological quality and mapped the implementation strategies against a widely used taxonomy of 73 strategies. Results: Of 1237 papers screened, 14 were included: 10 controlled studies (5 randomized) and 4 prepost. Nine studies were on communication skills training and 3 on shadow coaching; all but one of these used a train-the-trainer implementation strategy. Eight studies (controlled n=4) used 5.5-8 hours of communication training and showed significant improvements in selected experience outcomes. Brief (45 min) communication training showed no significant results. Two controlled studies showed that shadow coaching and recoaching achieve short-term improvements but eroded without booster sessions. The use of transparent surgeon masks improved selected communication outcomes, but periodic reminders sent to clinicians on communication etiquette did not. Discussion: In-service communication training (≥5.5 h) or shadow (re-)coaching by trained peers can improve patients' experience with provider-patient communication. To implement such interventions, organizations need to identify and train trainers/coaches, intentionally support the program, monitor effectiveness, and add boosters as needed. Brief communication etiquette training or simple reminders did not improve the patients' experiences with provider-patient communication.