Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) Training

Research indicates that perceived stigma within medical encounters is prevalent and problematic for lung cancer patients' well-being and quality of cancer care. Promoting empathic communication appears to be a potentially effective intervention target to help reduce patients' perceptions of stigma within clinical encounters; however, no formal trainings exist that focus on teaching empathic communication to oncology care providers (OCPs). Building upon favorable findings from a prior R21 (R21CA202793) and the importance of developing interventions to address lung cancer stigma, our goal is to conduct a national trial of empathic communication skills (ECS) training to facilitate improvements in the medical and psychosocial care of patients through de-stigmatizing interactions with OCPs for patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

Inclusion Criteria: Site Eligibility * Employs at least 15 FTE OCPs (i.e., oncologists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants) as per self report * Reports a clinic volume of at least 20 new lung cancer patients per month as per self report OCP Participant Eligibility * OCPs who are thoracic oncology physicians (radiologists, medical oncologists, pulmonologists, and surgeons), NPs, or PAs and currently treating lung cancer patients, as per self-report; * OCP conducts consultations with lung cancer patients, as per self-report; * OCP sees at least 1 lung cancer patient per week, as per self-report; Patient Eligibility * Patient under the care of a participating OCP as per self report; * English and/or Spanish speaking; * In general, which language do you prefer to receive your medical care, English/Spanish/both English and Spanish Equally? * If English, treat as fluent in English, no additional language questions * If Spanish, treat as fluent in Spanish, no additional language questions * If both English and Spanish equally, ask the follow-up questions and go with whichever language is endorsed as best. If endorsed equally, assign to category patient prefers * How well do you speak English? Not at all/ Not well/Well/Very well * How well do you speak Spanish? Not at all/Not well/Well/Very well * Is at least 18 years of age as per self report; * Has a history of suspicious lung mass or confirmed lung cancer diagnosis, as per clinician judgment or medical record note; * Is a former or current smoking as per self report; * Has had no more than 10 prior visits with the participating OCP, as per the medical record and/or self report Exclusion Criteria: Patient Exclusion * Individuals of impaired decision-making capacity as per a clinician's judgment or as documented in the EMR. Site and OCP Exclusion * None