Difficult Conversations in Healthcare: Pedagogy and Practice

 Evidence-based studies show that effective communication with patients is associated with improved healthcare outcomes, better quality of care, both patient and physician satisfaction, and reduced medical error and malpractice claims. Interpersonal and communication problems in healthcare are common, and the over 70% of malpractice depositions arise from communication errors.

Studies also show that clinicians feel unprepared and lack confidence in communication skills, particularly advanced skills such as the ability to discuss end-of-life issues, giving bad news, dealing with the 'difficult' patient, and understanding the patients' and family's perspectives.

Medical schools, academic medical centers and other institutions are working to develop educational leaders and faculty who can teach and assess the core ACGME competencies, including interpersonal and communication skills and professionalism, that this faculty development course addresses.

The course is designed for physicians in all specialties, medical education leaders, and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals interested and/or involved in teaching in the areas of interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, relationship-centered care, patient-practitioner relationships and related topics.

Course participants will learn about an innovative, collaborative relational learning model, known as the Program to Enhance Relational and Communication Skills (PERCS), which was developed by the Institute for Professionalism & Ethical Practice (IPEP) at Boston Children's Hospital, for teaching and enhancing communication skills and relational capacities. We will create a safe environment for relational learning, use realistic enactments with professional actors, and integrate patient and family perspectives in innovative ways.