Useful Videos & DVDs on Communication Skills in Medicine

These videos and DVDs are available from the Communication Skills Program Resource Library. They are available through contact with our program and are for Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine use only.

Who’s Who. The Roles of Members of the Health Care Team.
This brief video (7:00) features members of the health care team discussing their roles, training and responsibilities in the clinical health care of patients. Features a resident, nurse, pharmacist, physiotherapist, social worker and dietician. The video provides an opportunity for learners to learn about and discuss the roles of health care team members. Produced (2010) by Dalhousie Medical School’s Communication Skills Program.

Collaborating in Health Care Teams.
This video features two versions of hospital interprofessional communication in a patient discharge planning meeting – one disfunctional and the other productive, providing an opportunity to discuss the features of good team communication with medical learners. The hospital team presented features a resident, nurse, social worker, dietician, pharmacist and physiotherapist. Produced (2010) by Dalhousie Medical School’s Communication Skills Program.

Avoiding Conflict in Resident Nurse Communication.
This video (6:00) features two versions of a resident-nurse interaction – both uncooperative and cooperative. The video provides an opportunity for medical learners to discuss conflict in health care teams and how to avoid it. Produced (2010) by Dalhousie Medical School’s Communication Skills Program.

Teaching Patient Doctor Communication Skills Using the ALOBA Method.
This video (60:00) is used for faculty development tutor training and demonstrates how to use Agenda Led Outcome Based Analysis (ALOBA) as a teaching method on patient-doctor communication skills. It shows how a facilitator works with medical learners who discuss challenging communication interactions they have had in their own clinical experience. The learners decide on which type of cases they would like to focus on, role play the case with a simulated patient, receive feedback from the simulated patient, peers and the facilitator, and try new techniques to handle the patient doctor communication challenges more effectively. Produced (2009) by Dalhousie Medical School’s Communication Skills Program.

New Approaches to Doctor-Patient Interaction.
Features three specific challenges: 1) The Door Knob Visit (a patient who presents with primary health concern as she is about to exit the doctor’s office), 2) Patient with a Long List of Complaints; and 3) Lifestyle Counseling with Patients About Weight Loss. Each of these video scenarios features two versions: 1) the standard way of handling these situations; and 2) the most effective way of handling these situations for physician and patient. A workshop facilitator’s manual accompanies the videos. Produced (2004) by Dalhousie Medical School’s Communication Skills Program.

From Criticism to Collaboration. Giving Fedback to Learners and Peers.
With Dr. Kim Blake and Dr. Cathy MacLean. 12 minutes. The video compares the impact of feedback presented in a negative critical way, versus that communicated in a non-judgmental, collaborative way. Produced (2002) by Dalhousie Medical School’s, Communication Skills Program.

A Practical Guide to Communication Skills in Clinical Practice.
With Dr. Robert Buckman. A CD Set featuring over 40 communication skills cases. Includes: Communication: The Basics; Dealing With Feelings; Hidden Agendas & Special Situations; How To Break Bad News; Genetic Testing, Pediatrics & End of Life. Available through Cinemedic Distributors (1999). Cinemedic has numerous communications skills training CD sets on communicating with patients.

Examples of Patient-Centred Communication.
With Dr. Wayne Weston. Features examples of standard ways of communicating with patients (3:13) and patient-centred ways of communicating with patients (5:20). Reveals the diagnostic effectiveness of patient-centred communication where soliciting the patient’s story reveals information that quickly leads to a diagnosis. Produced by the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine, University of Western Ontario (1997).

Talking Tools: Better Physician-Patient communication for Better Patient Outcomes.
An interactive presentation for practicing physicians. Video, included in Health Canada's Kit: Better Physician-Patient Communication for Better Patient Outcomes (1997). Health Canada.

Communication Challenges: Standardized Patient Scenarios for Teaching and Assessing Interviewing Skills.
Video provides vignettes of various physicians interviewing standardized patients. Communication skills are demonstrated on a wide variety of subjects - breaking bad news, headaches, diabetes, incest, spousal abuse, mania, cross-cultural communication. Instructor manual accompanies tape. Produced by Educating Future Physicians for Ontario (1995).

Patient-centered Communication in Pediatric Practice. Reducing the Power Gap.
With Dr. Barbara Korsch. Distributed by Medical Audio Visual Communication. (1991) 32:00.

Doctor Patient Encounters.
With Dr. Barbara Korsch. Distributed by Medical Audio Visual Communication. (1991). 37:00.

Breaking Bad News
With Dr. Robert Buckman. Two videotapes set, 30 minutes each, (1986).