Implementation of extensive and mandatory communication skills training curricula for undergraduate and postgraduate health professional learners has expanded over the last several decades with support from educational and institutional leaders.  In contrast, while identified as consistently important in the research and policy literature, large scale implementation of Communication Skills Interventions (CSI) for practicing healthcare professionals faces consistent challenges.  These challenges include such things as getting buy-in and support for developing and continuing programmes; choosing appropriate and feasible teaching methods and curricular structure for health professional learning; sustaining and reinforcing communication skills of programme participants and measuring meaningful outcomes.

In recent years, members of both tEACH and pEACH, have been involved in developing comprehensive national and institution-wide CSI programmes for practicing healthcare professionals.  

Some of this work has been shared through publications in PEC and at ICCH meetings in 2022 and 2024 and has sparked significant interest – for example, a roundtable on this topic in Zaragoza attracted more than 40 attendees, many of whom expressed an interest in continued networking and exploration of this topic.  Similarly, a recent WHO webinar series in partnership with EACH on these topics attracted more than 100 attendees from throughout the world. 

A special interest group (SIG) focused on exploration of best practices, outcomes and challenges in implementing large scale CSI programmes for health professionals could help to promote and support these types of programmes which are known to have a significant impact on clinician-patient communication, patient outcomes and healthcare systems.  The SIG would provide opportunities to learn about different large scale CSI programmes around the world and, foster collaboration and networking between those experienced and new in implementing these types of programmes. 

Doelstellingen

1. Create a network of EACH members involved and interested in large scale CSI programmes for healthcare professionals.

2. Explore and share best practices, outcomes and challenges to implementing large scale CSI programmes for health professionals. 

Voorgestelde activiteit

Year 1:

• SIG officers meet to establish a plan of activities moving forward.
• Invite EACH members to join SIG using EACH newsletter, social meeting and list of interested members collected at Zaragoza ICCH and through the abovementioned WHO webinar series.
• Initiate inaugural meeting of SIG members to develop an agenda for SIG activities moving forward. 
• Schedule periodic meetings with specific members of EACH subcommittees to explore activities relevant to both groups and how the SIG can promote and complement subcommittee activities and resources. 
• Schedule regular SIG meetings to further develop activities.
• Potential activities include:
  • Webinars on CSI programmes and/or topics.
  • Development and collection of resources and guides for developing, implementing and evaluating large scale CSI programmes (which could be shared through the EACH teaching tools database).
  • Scoping existing resources and organisations involved in CSI programmes.
  • Developing research agendas related to CSI programmes and create collaborative research projects within and across programmes (and potentially collaborate with rEACH and the HCER SIG on shared interests).
  • Presenting at conferences including ICCH (in addition to EACH SIG networking sessions) and other conferences.
  • In person networking meetings and participation in each other’s trainings.

Year 2 and 3:

• Continued regular meetings
• Continued implementation and refinement of SIG agenda and activities

Co-chairs

John Schlömer, Austrian National Public Health Institute, John.Schloemer@goeg.at
Laura E. Miller, University of Tennessee, School of Communication Studies, lmille41@utk.edu 

Officieren

Marcy Rosenbaum, marcy-rosenbaum@uiowa.edu
Marlene Sator, marlene.sator@goeg.at