On Friday, June 4, the Center for Communication in Medicine (CCM) presented a workshop to the Vermont Psychological Association. The program, “Helping Patients Communicate with Healthcare Providers” introduced psychologists to CCM’s signature tool, SpeakSooner: A Patient’s Guide to Difficult Conversations. CCM Executive Director, Bernard Bandman, PhD and Battenkill Valley Health Care physician, Dr. Michael Welther guided the group through a series of exercises that led to rich discussion on the benefits of clear healthcare communication. The workshop illustrated how use of the Guide can help prepare seriously ill patients to identify and communicate concerns to medical providers, leading to informed decisions about care and reduced anxiety. Continuing education credits were available to participants.
The Center for Communication in Medicine offers trainings to healthcare providers and public education programs that are aimed at improving communication between patients, loved ones and healthcare providers. To learn more about SpeakSooner programs, please visit our website speaksooner.org
