Table 1.

Coding Examples using Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS)

Functional grouping	Communication Codes	Example Text
Data Gathering	Medical Questions about:
	▪ Medical history/condition	DAD: So do you guys know what could have caused this?
	▪ therapeutic regimen	DAD: will she go home on a ventilator also?
	▪ lifestyle and self-care	SWa: What are you doing to keep yourself healthy?
	▪ psychosocial topics	Drb: Do you feel like, is he suffering?
Patient education and Counselling Skills	Biomedical information
	▪ about medical condition	Dr: The blood inside of the brain builds up pressure. And that pressure can harm the brain.
		MOM: She looks pale to me.
	▪ therapeutic regimen	Dr: She has to go downstairs for the CT.
	Psychosocial exchange about problems of daily living, issues about social relations, feelings, emotions	MOM: I love my son regardless. Whatever the future is, I just want to know if he’ll be able to open his eyes and smile.
		Dr: I think it’s almost a guarantee that he’s gonna open his eyes and smile. Just may take some time to get there.
	Lifestyle information/counselling	Dr: You would have nurses at home. Not 24 hours a day, but a good chunk of the day.
Relationship Skills	Positive talk
	▪ agreements	Dr: Yes, I agree that is the way to go.
	▪ jokes and laughter	SW: Yep, you will be home. You will not have to see my face every day. You’ll be so happy.
		Dr: She looks good, you are doing a great job.
	▪ approvals /compliments
	Negative talk
	▪ disagreements	MOM: No, I don’t think that would work for me.
	▪ disapproval and criticisms	Dr: No, no, no. The study is for a slightly different disease.
	Emotional talk
	▪ concerns	Dad: as my heart has said before, if we knock on the door of death so many times, eventually it’s going to answer.
	▪ reassurance	Dr: I’m sure the swelling will improve in the next few days.
	▪ legitimate	SW: And almost every parent whose child we care for has these same kinds of feelings.
	▪ empathy	MOM: I am afraid for her. (concern)
		Dr: I can see that you are. (empathy)
	▪ partnership	Dr: We – all of us will fight hard for her.
Partnering Skills	Partnering and Activation
	▪ asking for patient opinion	Dr: What do you think would help?
	▪ asking for understanding	Dr: Do you follow me?
	▪ paraphrase and interpretation	Dr: Let me make sure I’ve got what you meant. Your preference would be to place the trach if we can’t get the breathing tube out on this 3rd try?
	▪ cues of interest (back-channel)	Dr: right, go on, I see
Structuring the visit	▪ Orientations to what is going to happen, including agenda setting	Dr: I wanted to talk to you guys about where we are, where we go from here, what are we worried about?
	▪ Giving directions and instructions	NURSE: He will go to MRI, you can meet us down there
Patient-centeredness score	Numerator = parent codes (all questions, psychosocial and lifestyle information and emotional talk) + medical team codes (psychosocial and lifestyle questions, psychosocial and lifestyle information and counselling, emotionally responsive statements, partnering and activation statements) Denominator = parent codes (medical information and questions) + medical team codes (medical and therapeutic regimen information and counselling; medical questions; instructions and orientations.

^aSW – social worker;

^bDr - doctor