Actively Recruiting
Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) Training
Led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · Updated on 2026-03-17
1232
Participants Needed
12
Research Sites
174 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
M
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Lead Sponsor
A
American Cancer Society, Inc.
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
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.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) Training
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Site employs at least 15 full-time equivalent oncology care providers (OCPs) including oncologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants
- Site sees at least 20 new lung cancer patients per month
- OCPs are thoracic oncology physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants currently treating lung cancer patients
- OCPs conduct consultations with lung cancer patients
- OCPs see at least 1 lung cancer patient per week
- Patients are under care of a participating OCP
- Patients speak English and/or Spanish
- Patients are at least 18 years old
- Patients have a history of suspicious lung mass or confirmed lung cancer diagnosis
- Patients are current or former smokers
- Patients have had no more than 10 prior visits with the participating OCP
You will not qualify if you...
- Patients with impaired decision-making capacity as judged by a clinician or documented in medical records
- No exclusions for sites or oncology care providers
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 12 locations
1
Providence St. Joseph Health (Data Collection Only)
Irvine, California, United States, 92612
Completed
2
BAPTIST ALLIANCE - MCI (Data Collection Only)
Miami, Florida, United States, 33143
Actively Recruiting
3
Advocate Health Care Network
Libertyville, Illinois, United States, 60048
Actively Recruiting
4
University of Kentucky (Data Collection Only)
Lexington, Kentucky, United States, 40536-0093
Completed
5
Munson Healthcare (Data Collection Only)
Traverse City, Michigan, United States, 49684
Completed
6
Hackensack Meridian Health (Data collection only)
Hackensack, New Jersey, United States, 07601
Actively Recruiting
7
Roswell Park Cancer Institute (Data Collection Only)
Buffalo, New York, United States, 14263-0001
Actively Recruiting
8
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
New York, New York, United States, 10065
Actively Recruiting
9
Virtua Health (Data Collection Only)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 08060
Completed
10
University of Pennsylvania (Data Collection Only)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104-4283
Actively Recruiting
11
Fox Chase Cancer Center (Data Collection Only)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19111
Actively Recruiting
12
Chesapeake Regional Healthcare (Data Collection Only)
Chesapeake, Virginia, United States, 23320
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
S
Smita Banerjee, PhD
CONTACT
J
Jamie Ostroff, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
DOUBLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
OTHER
Number of Arms
4
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