Table 1.

Styles for effective communication by doctors in different COVID scenarios

Medical interviews	Breaking bad news to patients and family members	Discussing a medical error	Any encounter where emotions present	Challenging conversations
C-L-A-S-S	S-P-I-K-E-S	C-O-N-E-S	E-V-E	B-U-S-T-E-R
C – CONTEXT Physical Space, Family Members/ Friends, Body Language, Touch. L - LISTENING Open Ended Questions Eg: “Who all have you recently met?” Clarifying Eg: “That must have felt terrible when…” Eg: “So, if I understand you correctly, you are saying…” Time & Interruptions A – ACKNOWLEDGE Empathic Response S – STRATEGY The Plan S – SUMMARY Final Thoughts	S- Setting Up the Conversation Secure an appropriate area for the discussion. P- Perception I- Invitation Assess the patient’s understanding of the seriousness of their condition. Eg: “Tell me what you understand about COVID so far.” K- Knowledge Explaining the facts Eg: “Are you with me so far?” E- Emotions The Empathic Response – Be Supportive Eg: “Can you tell me more about how you feel?” S -Strategy and Summary Eg: “Does this mean you are undertaking a test?”	C - Context O- Opening Shot Eg: “This is difficult. I have to tell you what I found out about why your mother is COVIDl.” N- Narrative Eg: “As you know, your mother came in back in…” E- Emotions Eg: “I know it’s upsetting for you and it’s awful for me too.” S -Strategy & Summary Eg: “I am the doctor responsible for your mother so it is important that I found out what happened.”	E- Explore the Emotion Eg: “Can you tell me more about how you feel?” V- Validate the Emotion Eg: “I can understand how that would make you angry.” E- Empathic Response Eg: “I’m sorry this has happened and I understand how it would make you feel that way.”	B-Be prepared U-Use non-judgmental listening. Eg: “So let me see if I understand…” S-Six second rule. T-“Tell me more” statements. Eg: “Tell me more about your contacts.” E-Empathize and validate. Eg: “I can see you weren’t expecting this.” R-Respond with a wish statement. Eg: “I wish I had better news…”