Study on Patient Views of Doctors Compassion, Communication, and Professionalism Comparing Visits With and Without Electronic Health Records EHR Use

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to understand how patients perceive a doctors compassion, communication skills, and professionalism during clinic visits, depending on whether the doctor uses an Electronic Health Record EHR system. The study compares participants views after watching two scripted video vignettes one showing a traditional face-to-face visit without EHR use, and the other showing a physician integrating EHR into communication. The study is a randomized controlled trial with a crossover design to evaluate these perceptions. Participants will watch four videos, each about 4 minutes long, portraying different scenarios with physicians either using or not using EHR. There are four study groups representing combinations of two different physicians with or without EHR use. Participants will also complete three questionnaires about their emotions and trust in doctors during the study period. The study is sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and is planned to complete by December 2028. Throughout the study, participants will be evaluated using questionnaires and videos to assess their perceptions of physician compassion and communication skills. These assessments will continue through study completion, averaging about one year. Eligibility includes adults diagnosed with cancer who can understand and complete the consent process, with normal cognitive function. The study monitors participant responses to better understand patient views on doctor-patient communication involving EHR use.

Patient Perception of Physician's Compassion, Communication Skills, and Professionalism During Clinic Visits: a Randomized Controlled Trial (EHR Study #3)