Communication Skills Resources
American
Academy on Communication in Healthcare
The American Academy on Communication in Healthcare (AACH) is
n organization that has dedicated over 25 years to research, education,
and professional standards in patient-doctor communication. Its
goal is to change the practice of medicine by helping clinicians
and patients relate more effectively. AACH offers consultative
services, courses, workshops and educational resources.
Center
for Communication in Medicine
The Center for Communication in Medicine produces programs
which highlight the roles and responsibilities of patients, families,
and medical practitioners on improving communication. By opening
the conversation through community-based programs and maintaining
collaborative ties to medical educators and clinicians, the Center
seeks to increase awareness of the key role of communication in
making informed healthcare decisions and improving quality of
care.
Institute
for Family-Centered Care - The Institute
for Family-Centered Care provides leadership to advance the understanding
and practice of patient- and family-centered care in hospitals
and other health care settings. The Institute serves as a central
resource for both family members and members of the health care
field. The IFCC web site has a variety of materials available,
including assessment tools and tools for change.
Healthcare Quality Improvement/Medical Error
Resources
CRICO/RMF
- CRICO/RMF is the patient safety and medical
malpractice company owned by and serving the Harvard medical community
since 1976. CRICO/RMF's mission is to provide a superior medical
malpractice insurance program to its members and assist them in
delivering the safest health care in the world.
Health
Care for All - Health Care for All is building a movement
of individuals and organizations with the goal of creating a health
care system that is responsive to the needs of all people, particularly
the most vulnerable. The organization's mission is to protect
public health, safety, and welfare by licensing qualified health
care professionals, services, and facilities through the fair
and consistent application of statutes.
The Institute
for Healthcare Improvement - The Institute for Healthcare
Improvement (IHI) is an independent not-for-profit organization
helping to lead the improvement of health care throughout the
world. Founded in 1991, IHI works to accelerate improvement by
building the will for change, cultivating promising concepts for
improving patient care, and helping health care systems put those
ideas into action. IHI is recognized for its expertise in helping
health care systems make improvements in the area of safety, effectiveness,
patient-centeredness and efficiency.
Partnership
for Healthcare Excellence - The Massachusetts-based Partnership
for Healthcare Excellence is the first statewide effort in the
nation to focus specifically on patients – helping them
play a greater role in improving the quality of their health care.
The goals of the Partnership are to educate the public about variation
in healthcare quality and to provide consumers with information
and tools to improve the quality of their own care. The
Partnership also seeks to motivate consumers to advocate for overall
health system changes that improve quality of care. The
Schwartz Center is a member of a broad coalition of organizations
supporting the Partnership.
Planetree
- Planetree is a non-profit organization that promotes the development
and implementation of innovative models of healthcare that focus
on healing and nurturing body, mind and spirit. The Planetree
philosophy promotes compassionate, safe, accessible and high quality
care all of which are fundamental to patient-centered care. Planetree
provides education and information in a collaborative community
of healthcare organizations, mainly hospitals, facilitating efforts
to create patient-centered care in healing environments.
The
Joint Commission - The Joint Commission is an independent,
not-for-profit organization, and the nation’s predominant
standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Its mission
is to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided
to the public through the provision of health care accreditation
and related services that support performance improvement in health
care organizations.
‘‘What Makes for a Compassionate
Patient-Caregiver Relationship?’’
The Joint Commission publishes the Schwartz Center's findings.
Click
here for the article.
Massachusetts
Medical Society - The Massachusetts Medical Society is a professional
association of physicians whose mission is to advance medical knowledge,
to develop and maintain the highest professional and ethical standards
of medical practice and health care, and to promote medical institutions
formed on liberal principles for the health, benefit and welfare
of the citizens of Massachusetts.
Medically
Induced Trauma Support Services - Medically
Induced Trauma Support Services (MITSS), Inc. is a non-profit organization
that supports, educates, trains and offers assistance to individuals
affected by adverse medical events.
The
Arnold P. Gold Foundation -The Arnold P. Gold Foundation advances humanism in medicine, perpetuating the tradition of the caring doctor. The Foundation supports innovative programs for physicians in training that promote compassionate and relationship centered healthcare.
Cancer Related Resources
Conquer
Cancer Coalition of Massachusetts
 The Schwartz Center is part of the Conquer Cancer Coalition of Massachusetts, an organization created to raise funds for small charitable organizations that provide cancer education, support, advocacy and research in Massachusetts. Sales of the new Massachusetts “Conquer Cancer” vanity license plate raise revenue which is divided equally among coalition members, including the Schwartz Center.
The
Oncologist - The Oncologist, an international,
peer-reviewed oncology journal, includes a section on the Schwartz
Center Rounds. Detailed discussion/ commentary that took place at
Schwartz Center Rounds sessions at Massachusetts General Hospital
in Boston are included in each issue. CME and CEU credits can be
obtained on-line through this section.
Other
MGH Institute of Health Professions- The MGH Institue of Health Professions has produced a booklet entitled, "Maintaining Compassionate Care: A Companion for Families Experiencing the Uncertainty of a Serious and Prolonged Illness". The booklet was produced following the conference "Maintaining Compassionate Care, Strategies to Prepare Family and Professional Caregiver Teams for Ethical Dilemma of Caregiving," sponsored with funding from the Kenneth B Schwartz Center. A downloadable version of the booklet is available here. To viewthe Education Guide supplement to the handbook, please click here.
Pavone Images
 Pavone Images retails inspirational note cards with photographs created
especially forthe Schwartz Center. On the back of each card is information
on the important work of the organization. A portion of the profits
from sales benefit the Schwartz Center. To learn more and/or to
make a purchase, log on to www.pavoneimages.com.
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Visit the Schwartz Center's newest patient-centered initiative at CarePages, where patients, families and friends create free online support communities...