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Psycho-Oncology pp 191–205Cite as

COMSKIL Communication Training in Oncology—Adaptation to German Cancer Care Settings

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Part of the book series: Recent Results in Cancer Research ((RECENTCANCER,volume 210))

Abstract

Medical communication is a skill which can be learned and taught and which can substantially improve treatment outcomes, especially if patients’ communication preferences are taken into account. Here, we give an overview of communication training research and outline the COMSKIL program as a state-of-the-art communication skills training in oncology. COMSKIL has a solid theoretical foundation and teaches core elements of medical communication in up to ten fully operationalized modules. These address typical situations ranging from breaking bad news to responding to difficult emotions, shared decision-making, and communicating via interpreters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Leipzig, Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 55, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Tim J. Hartung & Anja Mehnert

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    David Kissane

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  1. Tim J. Hartung
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  2. David Kissane
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  3. Anja Mehnert
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Correspondence to Anja Mehnert .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Ute Goerling

  2. Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Anja Mehnert

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Hartung, T.J., Kissane, D., Mehnert, A. (2018). COMSKIL Communication Training in Oncology—Adaptation to German Cancer Care Settings. In: Goerling, U., Mehnert, A. (eds) Psycho-Oncology. Recent Results in Cancer Research, vol 210. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64310-6_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64310-6_12

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