SBI Webinar: Patient-Centered Communication During Breast Biopsy

As one of the core values of the Society of Breast Imaging, patient-centered care calls for breast imaging radiologists to collaborate with patients in shared decision-making processes to optimize patient care and satisfaction. Effective communication is critical to this process. In addition to expert interpretive and technical skills, breast imaging radiologists must develop proficiency in communicating with patients who face the challenges of receiving a breast biopsy recommendations, undergoing biopsies and receiving breast cancer diagnoses. In these settings, patient-centered communications require an understanding of patient needs, goals and preferences; they also require skillful engagement in collaborative, informative and supportive discussions.

While breast imaging has been the radiology leader in a patient-centered approach to care, there is a paucity of formal training in patient communications, leaving gaps for those already in practice and a need for specific strategies for current trainees. In the first of a two-part series, moderator Dr. Mary Scott Soo, along with Dr. Stamatia Destounis, will describe ways to improve awareness of patient experiences and perspectives in breast imaging, to set the stage for effective patient centered communications. This webinar will also enable attendees to recognize strategies for effective communications during biopsy recommendations and procedures, and provide tools for preparing patients for potential breast cancer diagnoses in these settings.

Patient-centered communications are an important daily component of breast imaging practices, and require an understanding of patient needs, goals and preferences. Radiologists must develop proficiency in communicating imaging and biopsy results, including the added challenge of delivering a new breast cancer diagnosis. These conversations require skillful engagement in collaborative, informative and supportive discussions. Other challenging scenarios can also arise in breast imaging, where service recovery, emotional support, or enlisting help from clinical providers and support personnel may be necessary. In the second of a two-part series on radiologist-patient communications in breast imaging, moderator Dr. Mary Scott Soo along with Dr. Stamatia Destounis will discuss a patient-centered model of communicating breast biopsy results, and also review ways of navigating challenging communication scenarios in order to enhance patient experiences.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe ways to improve awareness of patient experiences and perspectives during breast imaging.
2. Recognize strategies for patient-centered communications during biopsy recommendations and procedures.
3. Identify strategies for patient communications when delivering biopsy results.
4. Describe techniques for communication of bad news by phone.
5. Summarize specific strategies for communicating during particularly challenging patient interactions.

Date(s) of Activity: CME Release Date: December 15, 2023 – CME Expiration Date: December 14, 2026

Joint Accreditation Statement: In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Amedco LLC and the Society of Breast Imaging. Amedco LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. Amedco Joint Accreditation Provider Number: 4008163

ACCME Credit Designation Statement, Physicians: Amedco LLC designates this material for a maximum of 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ for physicians. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Satisfactory Completion: Learners must listen to each self-directed audio recording while following along with the visual slides/read the articles, and complete an evaluation survey to receive a certificate of completion. Your chosen sessions must be attended in their entirety. You must participate in the entire activity as partial credit is not available. If you are seeking continuing education credit for a specialty not listed below, it is your responsibility to contact your licensing/certification board to determine course eligibility for your licensing/certification requirement.

Acknowledgement of Financial Commercial Support: No financial commercial support was received for this educational activity.
Acknowledgement of In-Kind Commercial Support: No in-kind commercial support was received for this educational activity.

Disclosure of Conflict of Interest
The following table of disclosure information is provided to learners and contains the relevant financial relationships that each individual in a position to control the content disclosed to Amedco. All of these relationships were treated as a conflict of interest, and have been resolved. (C7 SCS 6.1-6.2, 6.5). All individuals in a position to control the content of CE are listed below. If their name is not listed below, they disclosed that they had no financial relationships with a commercial interest.

Mary Scott Soo, MD: NA
Stamatia Destounis, MD: Hologic: Research Grant, Site Principal Investigator; iCAD: Scientific/Medical Advisory Board Member
Nuria Gramkee: NA
Ryan Dixon: NA