We sadly report that we will be ceasing operations at the end of 2012.

What follows is a description of the services we provided in our twelve years of operation.

PUBLICATIONS

The Healthcare Communication Review: This semi-annual newsletter, available at no charge, was written for patients and professionals, with separate sections for each. It offers practical advice (e.g. how to negotiate treatment plans); philosophical discussions (e.g. on types of clinician-patient relationships); reviews of current research; stories of healthcare experiences (from perspectives of patients and professionals); book reviews; organizational resources and more.

All issues of the Healthcare Communication Review will remain posted on this website. To see archived articles click here.
 

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Through in-person, public-access TV, and webinar presentations, we offered the following:

For Patients, their families and advocates, and the general public: These programs sought to help individuals assume an active role in their healthcare by helping them (1) build skills in information seeking and shared decisionmaking, and (2) develop self confidence in their ability to do both. Programs for family and friends seek to help them gain skills for advocating for seriously ill loved ones. For descriptions of programs, click here.

For Physicians: Our Grand Rounds programs sought  to help physicians talk to patients in ways that build relationships and establish trust, facilitate healing and promote satisfaction on the parts of patients, their families and doctors, themselves. For more information about these programs, click here.

For Allied Health Professionals: These programs sought  to help nurses, CSWs, aides and any other patient-care staff build skills in communication techniques that have been shown to more fully and efficiently elicit patient concerns and cooperation with treatment plans (with only a minimal increase in time spent with patients). Programs may address these goals as they generally apply to patients or as they apply to patients with specific diseases or circumstances; for instance, patients at the end-of-life or from different cultures. For more information about inservices and other programs for professionals, click here.

Updated December 5, 2012