About this course

Healthcare communication researchers can use Systematic Coding of Observed human Behavior (SCOBe) to unpack patient-healthcare professional interaction and disentangle specific communication behaviours. However, it may seem daunting to decide when observational coding is useful, how to select or adapt the appropriate coding system, and how to use it to answer your research questions.

Our highly interactive course on Systematic Coding of Observed human Behaviour (SCOBe) in healthcare interaction facilitates researchers and other professionals at any career stage in using systematic coding to analyse medical interaction.

After the course, you will be able to decide when to use SCOBe, be able to select and apply existing coding systems, modify or develop systems, analyse and interpret data, and adequately report on SCOBe. You will moreover receive personalized feedback on your own research or research plans.

Course Facilitators

Janneke Noordman, PhD; Senior Researcher ‘Communication in healthcare’; Nivel, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, The Netherlands.

Janneke investigates patient-provider communication, with a focus on patient groups in vulnerable situations (e.g. patient with limited health literacy, elderly). Topics include: shared decision making, participatory research, lifestyle counselling. She is an expert in observational coding and trained many researchers in this research methodology, and provides video-feedback to healthcare providers based on their real-life consultations. Janneke is the secretary of the Patient-Provider-Interaction (PPI) Network in The Netherlands and Flanders

Marij Hillen, PhD; Associate Professor ‘Medical Communication’ & Principal Educator; Amsterdam University Medical Centers, The Netherlands.

Marij researches physician-patient communication, with a focus on patient trust and (communication about) uncertainty. She has led the development of an online database of coding instruments for physician-patient communication for the research committee of EACH. In her research, she has developed and used observational coding to assess communication about uncertainty and shared decision making.

Course Dates and Times

27 October, 30 October, 6 November 2025. For all days: 1pm-5pm GMT / 2pm-6pm CET

Registration Costs

EACH Members – £310.00

Non-Members – £360.00