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Effective Communication: A Vital Skill In Healthcare, Allison Crabtree

Presentations, Proceedings & Performances

Members of the healthcare team conduct thousands of patient and peer interactions over the course of a career. The call to action from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report on Health Professions and Training stresses the importance of communication training for all members of the healthcare team. As with other healthcare procedures, communication skills can be learned and improved upon, but requires commitment and practice.

Given the wealth of evidence linking ineffective clinician-patient communication with increased malpractice risks, patient nonadherence, patient and clinician dissatisfaction, and poor patient health outcomes, the necessity of addressing communication skills deficits is of utmost importance