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.
Ask AI to explain this studyKey things to know
This describes the study’s primary purpose.
The study team can explain what participation involves.
These are broad labels—not an eligibility decision.
Checked against the public recordLast updated Oct 7, 2026 · Source: ClinicalTrials.gov
The study is currently accepting participants.
Interventional
Locations may change over time.
Study sponsor
What this study is about
- Purpose
- Other
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Sponsor
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Interventions being studied
- Behavioral: Empathic Communication Skills (ECS) training; Other: Standard of Care participant interaction
How this study is categorized
These labels come from structured fields and exact terms in the public record.
Who may be able to participate
The sponsor separates these requirements into two groups. You do not need to interpret them alone—use them to guide a conversation with the study team.
- 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
- 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
Important: This is the sponsor’s public criteria, not a determination of eligibility. The study team must review your individual situation.
U.S. locations
- Providence St. Joseph Health (Data Collection Only)Irvine, California
- BAPTIST ALLIANCE - MCI (Data Collection Only)Miami, Florida
- Advocate Health Care NetworkLibertyville, Illinois
- University of Kentucky (Data Collection Only)Lexington, Kentucky
- Munson Healthcare (Data Collection Only)Traverse City, Michigan
- Hackensack Meridian Health (Data collection only)Hackensack, New Jersey
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute (Data Collection Only)Buffalo, New York
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)New York, New York
- Virtua Health (Data Collection Only)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- University of Pennsylvania (Data Collection Only)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Fox Chase Cancer Center (Data Collection Only)Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Chesapeake Regional Healthcare (Data Collection Only)Chesapeake, Virginia
Source and freshness
Processed from ClinicalTrials.gov. Last public update: Oct 7, 2026. Always confirm current availability with the study team.