Table 8 Written answers to the questions in table 7

In which aspects of your daily work, your doctor-patient communication, and your personal practice has the training program had an influence?

Ad 1) Theory/knowledge

Doctor-patient communication techniques

Contact with patients

Everyday clinical interviewing and educational work with students

Diagnosis and treatment

I can apply all/most the knowledge from this course to my work in dealing with difficult patients, my teaching style, and clinical interview skills

Taking histories, paying more attention to patients’ emotions when treating their problems/diseases

Teaching techniques and experience when practicing in groups, which I can apply in my work

How to include the patint’s family

Ad 2) Skill training/Balint groups

Empathy and sharing feelings

The Balint groups increased my understanding of patients’ problems

Contact with patients

Empathy and interpretation, hypothesizing and circularity

Obtaining information from a patient

Interviewing skills

Coping with my emotions during psychotherapy

The management of difficult cases

The patient-doctor relationship

Resolving problems

Finding new methods for handling difficulties in clinical practice

Ad 3) Time spent on doctor-patient communication

Anamnesis, diagnostic and therapeutic information

Diagnosis, e.g., anamnesis

I want to spend more time, but there are so many patients, and there is so little time to spend with them.

I will try to improve the doctor-patient communication in my medical practice.

All the aspects of my interviews, such as anamnesis, the gathering of information and provision of suggestions

Ad 4) Competence in doctor-patient communication

In dealing with suicidal, violent, or emotionally unstable patients

Forming good relationships: listening, empathy, positive feedback, and summarizing

Greeting patients, taking histories, and finding the underlying problem based on the symptoms

Yes, now I can use these doctor-patient communication skills more skillfully than ever

Ad 5) Changes in personal medical practice

Absolutely, it has already changed.

Greater knowledge and skill in handling psychosomatic cases

Communication with patients

It will help me improve my medical skills

Understanding more aspects of communication

Only slightly

Paying more attention to doctor-patient communication

Providing more psychotherapeutic knowledge and practical approaches

Teaching medical students

Ad 6) Difficulties in using the knowledge/skills

The institutional setting did not allow enough time for proper client interviews.

My experience with psychosomatic issues is still lacking.

Supervision

Lack of time

I want more teaching skills

In chronic cases (e.g. pain disorders)

Ad 7) Feelings concerning daily work

I can meet many people, and I can acquire experience to add to my life.

I know what I am doing and how to improve myself.

Patients distrust their doctors in China.

Receiving respect from the community

Very tired, but meaningful

Ad 8) Changes in attitude

About family therapy

About doctor-patient communication

How to contact patients/people

When I see the smiling faces of the patients

Greater knowledge about doctor-patient communication

More understanding of patient psychology

Not at all

Too much to express it clearly

Treating patients as clients and ways to communicate with patients and their relatives

When I face patients, I see them as whole persons.