Effective remediation for advanced practice providers with lowest patient experience: The power of relational resources.

Abstract

Objectives: Healthcare providers with low patient experience scores may provide suboptimal care and experience burnout. Communication skills training (CST) can be effective, but remedial programs may be poorly received. We aimed to create a program to support advanced practice providers (APPs) with lowest patient experience ratings.

Methods: Our communication skills program included individual and community-building support, strengths inventory, a foundational CST workshop, and coaching. Participants assessed program components and completed pre/post-intervention surveys regarding professional fulfillment, wellness, and communication self-efficacy. Provider communication during direct patient care was observed and scored pre/post CST.

Results: Participants expressed satisfaction with the overall program and would recommend it to colleagues. Participants were most receptive to program interventions of professional coaching and CST. In addition, communication skills observed during direct patient care after CST demonstrated a statistically significant positive change. There were no changes in well-being or professional fulfillment indices.

Conclusions: Relational, anti-deficit interventions, focused on anticipated participant benefit, were well-received and improved self-assessed and observed patient engagement.

Practice implications: A scaffolded approach to remediation of low patient experience scores, leveraging participant strengths and goals, yielded improvements in communicating with patients.