Needs Analysis of Empathic Communication Enhancing Program for Health-Science EFL Students

Abstract

This research explores the needs of health science EFL students in empathic communication when interacting with foreign patients from various backgrounds. As English proficiency alone is not sufficient in the healthcare context, empathic communication in English is an essential ability that enhances patient satisfaction and has a positive impact on patient outcomes. The study comprised two phases: a curriculum analysis and a needs analysis survey. Data from 40 accredited Thai medical curricula and 300 completed needs survey questionnaires, provided by individuals in the field, including students, healthcare practitioners, and university lecturers, were analyzed. Conceptual content analysis, descriptive statistics, and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that current Thai medical curricula lack empathic communication practice in English-speaking contexts. The needs survey revealed that participants' expectations regarding healthcare practitioners' ability in empathic communication and its sub-components exceeded their perceptions of the practitioners' current abilities (p-value < .001). The sum rank value for empathic expression was greater than empathic perception. The largest gap was observed in Clear Articulation. The preferred learning platform was an onsite classroom with supplementary videos. The study discusses the selection of empathic communication training contents for Thai EFL. Finally, an experiment testing the suggested program elements is recommended for further research and communication course design.