Project lead: Evelyn Watson and Anita Laidlaw.

Aim: To provide researchers in healthcare communication with high-quality courses on various topics related to research skills and knowledge on a regular basis

Output: Many research workshops have been delivered by rEACH and rEACH members at various meetings, ICCH conferences and summer events over the years. We are in the process of inventorying what courses we will continue to offer on the shorter and longer term. On the long-term, we will offer a wider variety of courses ranging from basic (intended for researchers new to healthcare communication) to advanced. This process will run in parallel with the development of quality criteria for EACH courses in general and with a process to ensure each course has enough qualified facilitators to offer continuity on a regular basis over the years.

Upcoming Courses

Project lead: Alexia Papageorgiou, Cyprus and Rebecca Goulding, UK

Aim: To promote rEACH’s work through social media.

Output: Research related content relevant to health care communication is posted monthly in EACH’s social media

Project lead: India Pinker. Luxembourg and Carlos Campos, New Zealand

Aim: The core aim of the rEACH summer school is to provide early-career researchers in healthcare communication the opportunity to present and discuss their work with peers and more experienced researchers, and to create a lasting peer-to-peer network.

Output: The rEACH summer school is held biennially. Past participants (2021) have reported the benefits of the summer school on their academic development and network:  Fragmented world, connected community: success factors of the first online EACH Summer School for early-career researchers. This was echoed by our latest participants (2023) stating the summer school was particularly valuable for the social and project-specific support Creating a rewarding research experience in the early-career stages: Challenges and insights from the rEACH Summer School participants (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738399124001228). The next edition will be held in September 2025.

Project lead: Marij Hillen, The Netherlands.

Aim: To provide EACH-members with a searchable catalogue of available coding instruments in the field of healthcare communication research.

Output: The tools database includes information about almost 100 existing tools to systematically code observed communication. Relevant resources such as validation papers and coding manuals are directly and freely downloadable from the database. The database is continuously updated by adding newly developed and identified tools. We are currently working to integrate researchers’ experiences with the use of individual tools into the database.

Project Lead: Anna Udvardi, Hungary

Aim: To facilitate connectivity and engagement amongst healthcare communication researchers by fostering a sense of belonging and community within EACH.

Outputs: The connectivity project group works to provide opportunities for connectivity and networking through the organisation of a series of online interactive webinars focusing on the benefit and application of connectivity in professional activities.