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Poster Session 4

Category: Obstetric Quality and Safety

Poster Session 4

(1101) Validation and Feasibility of Communication Assessment Tool Use in Hospitalized Antepartum Patients

Thursday, February 12, 2026

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Submitting Author and Presenting Author(s)

Hannah Kelly, MD

OB/GYN Resident
Duke University Hospital
Durham, North Carolina, United States

Coauthor(s)

AB

Aya Bashi, MD

OB/GYN Resident
Duke University Hospital
Durham, North Carolina, United States
AA

Audrey Aitelli, BA

Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, North Carolina, United States
JP

Jennifer Paul, BS

Medical Student
Duke University School of Medicine
Durham, North Carolina, United States
AW

Anne West-Honart, MD, MS

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, United States
Rachel L. Wood, MD (she/her/hers)

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University
Durham, North Carolina, United States

Objective:
Hospitalized antepartum patients are at elevated risk for postpartum mood disorders, and effective provider communication mitigates this risk. The Communication Assessment Tool (CAT) is a validated instrument for measuring patient-reported physician communication but has not been evaluated in the inpatient antepartum setting. We aimed to (1) assess the feasibility of the CAT in this population and (2) establish baseline CAT scores to inform future interventions.

Study Design:
We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study on the labor and delivery unit of an academic medical center. English-speaking antepartum patients admitted for ≥24 hours were eligible. Exclusion criteria included fetal demise, ICU admission, unstable medical or obstetric condition, and postpartum or recent admissions. The 15-item CAT was administered electronically via REDCap prior to discharge or delivery. Primary outcomes included feasibility (completion rate, workflow, missing data) and baseline CAT scores (mean, % “excellent” responses). Cronbach’s α assessed internal consistency. The study was deemed IRB exempt.

Results:
Fifteen of sixteen patients completed the CAT (93.8%). Average scores ranged from 4.00 to 4.47 on a 5-point Likert scale (Table 1), with “Showed interest in my ideas” (4.47, 53.4% “excellent”) and “Greeted me in a way that made me feel comfortable” (4.40, 53.4%) scoring the highest. The lowest-rated question was “Encouraged me to ask questions” (4.07, 40.0%). Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s α = 0.92). Score variability was adequate (SD range 0.63–1.13).

Conclusion:
CAT administration among inpatient antepartum patients was feasible, with strong internal consistency, sufficient score variability, and promising response rates. This pilot establishes communication benchmarks and informs design and power planning for a randomized trial of physician rounding strategies. Future steps include initiatives to improve CAT scores and evaluate whether higher scores are associated with lower rates of postpartum mood disorders in this high-risk population.