Cancer prevention & control : CPC = Prévention & contrôle en cancérologie : PCC
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Medical educators at undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education levels acknowledge that communication is a fundamental medical skill. Responding to patient, professional and governmental advocates, as well as to advances in research on patient-physician communication and its teaching, some medical educators are in the process of starting new communication curricula, while others are working at expanding, integrating and further developing already well-established programs. For most people working in this area, the question is no longer whether to teach and assess communication skills and attitudes but, rather, how to do so most efficiently and effectively. ⋯ We then summarize critical components common to many established communication curricula and identify a series of specific strategies for teaching communication skills. We include a chart that describes a sample of the wide variety of resources available to assist in the development and teaching of communication curricula in medicine. Finally, we consider gaps in current communication curricula and suggest the next steps and ideas for moving forwards.
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Cancer Prev Control · Feb 1999
Complementary health practitioners' attitudes, practices and knowledge related to women's cancers.
To document the attitudes, practices and knowledge of 3 groups of complementary practitioners (naturopathic doctors, chiropractors and massage therapists) regarding women's cancers in general and ovarian cancer specifically. ⋯ Whereas the professions reached through this survey differ in important ways from each other, they share an interest in being involved in the care of women with cancer, as well as an enthusiasm for the development of continuing professional education programs to help them better serve their clients.
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Cancer Prev Control · Feb 1999
Practice Guideline Meta Analysis Comparative Study GuidelineThe use of gemcitabine in non-small-cell lung cancer. Provincial Lung Cancer Disease Site Group. Provincial Systemic Treatment Disease Site Group.
Is there a role for the use of gemcitabine in the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)? ⋯ The major dose-limiting toxicity is neutropenia. Despite this, infection rates are low. Significant adverse effects that have an impact on the patient's quality of life or require the discontinuance of treatment are reported to be less than with any other single agent or combination of agents. Grade 3 or 4 dyspnea has been reported to occur in fewer than 2% of cases and may be drug related. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)
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Cancer Prev Control · Feb 1999
The role of medical organizations in supporting doctor-patient communication.
The clinical competence of physicians depends largely on the education, accreditation, certification and licensing programs offered by the various Canadian medical organizations. In virtually all of these, doctor-patient communication is a required element. Educational programs at all levels are subject to accreditation by a number of different organizations including undergraduate medical programs (Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools), residency training (College of Family Physicians of Canada and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada) and continuing medical education (CFPC and RCPSC). ⋯ Both of these approaches assess physician-patient communication. There is increasing pressure, with strong support from consumers, that some level of communication skills competency should be imposed by the licensing authorities. Most approaches to exposing physicians to communications focus on rewards rather than coercion but a number of possible schemes could be considered to promote communication skills.