Background: Physician
empathy is associated with improved patient outcomes. Empathy training is
effective in physicians, and many models exist. However, no studies have
examined whether the improvements are sustained over time. Our primary aim is
to determine whether an improv workshop is an effective tool to deliver empathy
training. Our secondary aim is to determine whether that effect is sustained
over time.
Methods: This is
a prospective study of Ob/Gyn residents. Validated empathy surveys were
administered 1 week prior to empathy training, immediately after training and 1
month later. Improv games were used in conjunction with empathy training during
the intervention. Paired t-tests and McNemar’s were used to compare statistical
differences at each post-intervention assessment compared to pre-intervention.
Results: 22
residents participated. Empathy scores increased immediately after training
(mean=113 vs 120, p=0.03), but were not sustained 1 month later (mean=113
vs 117, p=0.11). Residents reported that the workshop positively impacted
their delivery of care both immediately (mean=3.5 vs 4.6, p <0.001) and 1
month later (mean=3.5 vs 4.1, p=0.04).
Discussions: Using improv comedy to
delivery empathy training is associated with improved empathy scores in Ob/Gyn
residents, but this improvement gravitates back to baseline over time.
Residents report that the improv workshop was effective at improving empathy,
even up to one month later.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2019, Resident, Faculty, Residency Director, Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Professionalism, Systems-Based Practice & Improvement, Interpersonal & Communication Skills, Practice-Based Learning & Improvement, GME, Assessment, Simulation, Lecture, Team-Based Learning, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, General Ob-Gyn,
Fei Cai, MD, Women and
Infant\\\'s Hospital; Merima Ruhotina, MD;
Melissa Bowler,
BA; Elisabeth
Howard, CNM,
PhD; Gary Frishman, MD; Kyle Wohlrab,
MD
