Basic Information

Name: Ellen Smets
Title: Professor in Medical Communication
Institution: Amsterdam University Medical Centers, dept. Medical Psychology
Discipline: Psychology
Years of experience: 30

Research

Primary methodological research approach:

• Patient-centeredness
• Patient–provider relationship

Focus of research in communication and healthcare:

• Observational studies
• Qualitative methods
• RCT
• Video analysis

Description

Three keywords describing expertise and interest:

1. Information provision, shared decion making
2. uncertainty

Description of field of expertise, major interests, and consultation topics:

Prof. Dr. Ellen M.A. Smets is professor in Medical Communication
Health care professionals generally spend more time communicating with patients then on any other medical intervention. Their words may benefit patients, but may also cause harm. This largely depends on the extent to which their communication resonates with patients’ needs, preferences and abilities. We are dedicated to increase our understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to effective and tailored information giving in medical consultations with the aim to improve patients’ quality of care.
Ellen earned her master’s degree (1987) as a social psychologist at the University of Amsterdam, received her doctorate at the same university and has ever since been employed by the Amsterdam University Medical Center/University of Amsterdam, at the department of Medical Psychology. Her research is aimed at clinician-patient communication, focusing on understanding and improving patient-centered information provision and decision making in clinical encounters. Current research addresses shared decision making, the communication of uncertainty (e.g. risks, prognosis), the tailoring of information during clinical consults and online information seeking.
Ellen received grants from, among others, the Dutch Cancer Foundation, the Dutch Heart Foundation and the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research. She is the chair of the Association of Researchers in Psychology and Health and program leader of the Quality of Care program of the Amsterdam Public Health research Institute. Ellen Smets has written and presented widely, including both national and international settings. Additionally, Ellen is involved in the education and training of communication skills of medical students and clinicians (in training).

Brief biography: