Development and evaluation of a Four habits-based communication training for German general practitioners (CoTrain)

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Edmund A. M. Neugebauer; Professor Dr. Holger Pfaff; Dr. Frank Vitinius; Professor Dr. Stefan Wilm
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2013 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 244493120

The nature and quality of communication between GPs and patients have a significant impact on treatment success. In many nations, including Germany, the physician-patient communication is still in need of improvement. The purpose of this research proposal is to design a specifically tailored communication training for family physicians. The theoretical basis of this training is the internationally established Four Habits model to be adapted to the conditions of German primary care. To adapt the communication training to the needs of patients and physicians in German general practices, focus group discussions with both patients and general practitioners will be conducted and the specific requirements on communication trainings will be set out. As a result, a customized communication training for German GPs will be designed. This training will be carried out evaluated and refined within a triple subsequent feedback process with small groups of family doctors. Through a pre-test in general practice the feasibility of a video documentation and evaluation will be worked out, in which later the developed training should be reviewed for effectiveness. The project aims to develop an effective communication training for GPs. In a subsequent project (follow-up application) to the communication training are reviewed in the context of a randomized controlled trial of its effectiveness.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Norway
• Participating Persons: Dr. August-Wilhelm Bödecker; Professor Dr. Pal Gulbrandsen; Professor Dr. Rolf Lefering