Team and Patient-Centered Communication: PCMH Focus

Overview

Call to Action

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has developed rigorous standards for medical practices to demonstrate that they are functioning as PCMHs.  “Better communication leads to better care” is at the heart of HCAHPS, global payments, and other satisfaction surveys.

Communication underlies successful healthcare. Until recently, though, healthcare and medical training paid little attention to the development of communication skills. Too often healthcare professionals have had to rely on whatever innate communication talents they already possessed.

However, we now know that effective communication must be learned and reinforced by all members of the healthcare team. Communication skills and techniques can be improved through training and practice. Research has demonstrated that increasing communication skills improves diagnostic accuracy, increases involvement of the patient in decision-making and increases the likelihood of adherence to therapeutic regimens. Additional benefits are an increase in patient and team satisfaction and a reduced likelihood of exposure to malpractice litigation.

Teaching format and resources

This team and patient-centered communication workshop is a fast-paced interactive program designed to provide learners with opportunities to practice skills and techniques using brief presentations, video-case review with interactive exercises, active learning techniques, and discussions.

Nearly 70% of the workshop is devoted to interactive, experiential learning. The workshop can be delivered in several different formats:

1) 6 hour workshop (5.5 CE/CME hours)

2) Two 3-hour sessions (Total of 5.5 CE/CME hours)

3) Six 1-hour sessions  (Total of 6 CE/CME hours)

• Duration 1/2 Day, 1 Day
• Accreditation Approved for CE
• Available To All Healthcare Professionals
• Course InformationDownload PDF

Program

The PCMH Communication Workshop is intended for 12-30 learners. The workshop is grounded in evidence demonstrating the importance of effective communication in Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) practice and will present a communication model with essential tools shown to improve healthcare outcomes, increase effective communication and patient and team satisfaction.

Content

PCMH Communication Workshop presents a model of communication that is predicated on the use of several essential skills which are transferable to your interactions with patients and with members of your PCMH team. The communication model (E4) includes: Engaging the person (building trust and building / sustaining the relationship), Empathizing, Educating using clear, concise language and checking for understanding, and Enlisting the patient as a partner and focus of the care that is delivered by the PCMH team.

The content, principles and model used in this workshop are supported by extensive research conducted during the past thirty years in patient-centered care, healthcare communication, and intra-team communication.

Objectives

1. Identify evidence-based reasons why communication is important in your daily Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) practice.
2. Describe communication tools to increase your effectiveness in PCMH interactions and with your patients.
3. Practice using these tools today with your colleagues utilizing peer and coaching feedback.
4. Select and commit to using at least 2 tools in your daily practice.