As you will know, we are all tasked with effective communication.
To foster it amongst health care professionals and with patients and families is a challenge.
Patients, doctors, and policy-makers understand its importance, however, and with good reason: high-quality relationships and communication in the clinical setting produce “whole-person” knowledge of the patient, and are associated with improvements in: clinical and functional status; treatment-adherence; patient trust; and the satisfaction of both physicians and patients with their encounters.
With the shift from “physician-centred” to “patient-centred” or “relationship-centred” care, patients’ experiences of care are now increasingly being valued and measured.
Also, studies have shown the positive link between integrated care teams and: improved patient health outcomes; reduced mortality; shortened length of stay; enhanced workforce morale; reduced burnout and staff turnover.
This leads into our latest initiative: Psycho-Social Rounds.
Our first meeting was held in February, was led by the Department of Obstetrics, was extremely well attended, and seems to be galvanizing conversation and change.
Our format is as follows: 60-90 minutes, case-based, interactive lunchtime discussions [lunch provided!], held and co-facilitated by our department.
Each session will begin with a brief presentation of a patient (or family) case by members of the healthcare team who cared for the patient, introducing multiple perspectives on selected psychosocial topics. Audience members and the presentation team will participate in the facilitated group discussion that follows.
The Rounds will address a wide range of important topics rarely discussed elsewhere, such as: the management of team conflict; stories of hope; the impaired professional; the impact of patient violence upon providers; when culture or religion undermines communication; the impact of making a mistake; humour and healing, and many others.
The Psycho-Social Rounds will be held monthly at lunchtime, hosted at The HOpe Centre, Lions Gate Hospital from January 2015, kindly sponsored by Eli Lilly Canada Inc.
Please circulate this to your group if of interest and let me know if your Department may have a case for discussion in the future; thank you.
With best wishes,
Apu
DR APU T. CHAKRABORTY
BA MA [Cantab.] MB BS [Lond.] MRCPsych [UK] MSc DLSHTM PhD [Lond.] FRCPC
Cell: +1 (604) 786 6940
Medical Manager, Adult Community Mental Health Services, HOpe Centre, Lions Gate Hospital
Vancouver Coastal Health