The impact of extended communication skills training, with and without supplemental follow-up, on physician burnout, empathy, satisfaction with medicine, and self-compassion and patient satisfaction

Objectives

The study compares two different formats of a clinician-patient communication skills training program, Communication Skills Intensive (CSI) a 3.5-day residential training program vs Enhanced Communication Skills Intensive (CSI+) which includes CSI plus additional follow-up activities over six months. We tracked physician-level outcomes including empathy, burnout, satisfaction with medicine, and self-compassion, and patient satisfaction to determine optimal intensity of follow-up strategies required to sustain the benefits of clinician-patient communication training.

Methods

A prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted within the Physician Education Department of a large healthcare organization. Two iterations of the program were compared: the 3.5-day Communication Skills Intensive (CSI) and an enhanced version incorporating supplemental follow-up activities (CSI+).

Results

Findings revealed that both CSI and CSI+ led to significant reductions in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. However, only CSI+ demonstrated sustained improvements in physicians' self-reported empathy, as measured by the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Both programs resulted in increased patient satisfaction, with improvements persisting over time. Notably, patient satisfaction scores continued to rise in 2024, indicating lasting positive effects.

Innovation

This study contributes to understanding the extent to which supplemental training is required to sustain the benefits of intensive residential communication training. More broadly, by demonstrating that a single-session residential program can yield sustained improvements across multiple domains, the study establishes an important benchmark for the design of efficient and impactful physician training interventions.

Discussion and conclusions

Stand-alone intensive communication training delivers significant benefits, improving both physician well-being and patient satisfaction. Supplemental follow-up may reinforce physicians' perception of their own empathy toward patients.

Practice implications

Future research should explore scalable strategies to sustain these benefits and further optimize training interventions.