Communication the Cleveland Clinic Way: How to Drive a Relationship-Centered Strategy for Exceptional Patient Experience - Hardcover

by Adrienne Boissy (Author), Gilligan Timothy (Author)

Put relationship-centered communication at the forefront of care

Today, physicians face a hypercompetitive marketplace in which they must meet unique and complex patient needs as efficiently as possible. But in a culture prioritizing clinical outcomes above all, there can be a tendency to lose sight of one of the most critical aspects of providing effective care: the communication skills that build and foster physician-patient relationships.

Studies have shown that good communication between doctors and patients and among all caregivers who interface with patients directly results in better clinical outcomes, reduced costs, greater patient satisfaction, and lower rates of physician burnout.

In Communication the Cleveland Clinic Way, Dr. Adrienne Boissy and her team tell the story of how Cleveland Clinic created and applied the R.E.D.E. to Communicate: Foundations of Healthcare program, making the world-renowned hospital system a leader in relationship-centered care. They provide a step-by-step guide for healthcare leaders and decision-makers to design, develop, and implement communication skills training in their own institutions. Learn how to:

- Craft an effective, colleague-supported communication skills program to include veteran physicians, residents, and medical students
- Leverage creative program design and data transparency to engage and facilitate staff physicians and advanced care providers
- Identify common misperceptions and myths in healthcare communication and respond to them successfully
- Cultivate a true sense of empathy--with patients and fellow caregivers alike--while maintaining professionalism

In a field where difficult conversations and stressful relationships are commonplace, clinicians need a structured approach to enable them to deliver the best care possible. Communication the Cleveland Clinic Way is the blueprint for establishing a relationship-centered program that will improve patient experience, reinvigorate doctors' passion for their work, and elevate any organization.

Back Jacket

"An incredible how-to care guide . . . This book is really a journey that reveals the pitfalls and pearls of such a monumental undertaking and why every health system needs to do the same."
--David Feinberg, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Geisinger Health System

"Reengaging and enabling physicians in an increasingly challenging work environment, Boissy and Gilligan are spot on. Enhancing communication builds the physician-patient relationship in a way that creates a superior patient experience and a superior physician experience."
--Vivian S. Lee, MD, PhD, MBA, CEO, University of Utah Health Care

"Communicating effectively with patients is not an innate skill . . . A comprehensive road map created by a group of physicians who set out to transform the doctor-patient relationship and build the new gold standard for relationship-centered care. It is a must-read for every clinical provider."
--James Merlino, MD, President and Chief Medical Officer, Strategic Consulting Division, Press Ganey and author of Service Fanatics

"Caring for people--body and soul--is the heart of healthcare. Boissy and Gilligan's actionable insight on relationship-centered care is invaluable for achieving cultural transformation in healthcare delivery that supports both professionalism and patient success."
--Elizabeth Teisberg, PhD, Professor of Community and Family Medicine, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine, and coauthor of Redefining Health Care

"This invaluable book details the processes that Cleveland Clinic has used to boost its patient experience scores, which is associated with enhanced patient outcomes. Medical centers across the country would be well advised to replicate these programs in service of their patients and their staff."
--Calvin Chou, MD, PhD, FAACH, Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of California San Francisco

"What an inspiring, important, myth-busting book! It shows that human relationships are the real heart of healthcare, and the skill of building those relationships can be trained. Cleveland Clinic knows how."
--Geoff Colvin, bestselling author of Talent Is Overrated and Humans Are Underrated

"Today, external demands and pressures have left many dedicated clinicians and healthcare providers struggling to find meaning in their work. This essential book, drawing upon a deep understanding of human relationships and educational principles, illuminates a pathway by which those who are involved in patient care can develop more effective and satisfying partnerships with their patients, patients' families, and colleagues."
--Walter F. Baile, MD, Director, Program for Interpersonal Communication and Relationship Enhancement (I*CARE), University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

"This book tells the story of a large and remarkably successful institution-wide program on physician communication skills. Told from a variety of perspectives--including senior executives, physician participants, and educators--it describes the important contributions this program is making to quality, strategy, and the professional meaning and well-being of the physician workforce. Beyond the inspiring story, the book offers a wealth of detail on instructional content and design that will be an enormous resource for others seeking to create their own communication programs. And it describes with great clarity the single most essential feature of a successful program: the informal curriculum or learning environment. We see the intentional effort to treat participants with the same kind of respect and engagement that they are being taught to show to patients."
--Anthony L. Suchman, MD, MA, Senior Consultant, Relationship Centered Health Care

"Within the context of top-rated clinical and service excellence and the Patients First strategy, leaders at Cleveland Clinic have launched an innovative approach to enhance physicians' human-centered communication skills to nurture the ongoing development of empathetic and compassionate interactions with the patients in their care. This practical yet profoundly transformational approach provides opportunities where physicians can reflect upon communications with their patients and family members, gain insights from dialogue with peers and receive coaching and mentoring from experts to enhance and build new competencies. In addition, this program provides opportunities for clinicians to focus upon the ultimate purpose of healing not only the body, but also the mind and soul of all in their care. And while doing so, many may find greater insight into their own human experience, build more resilience, and enhance or restore the joy in their professional careers. This book is an invaluable asset for all who strive to achieve a human-centered approach to healthcare and superior patient experience."
--Pat Rutherford, MS, RN, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Author Biography

Adrienne Boissy, MD, is the Chief Experience Officer of Cleveland Clinic, where she leads initiatives to improve the patient experience. She spearheaded the creation and development of the Clinic's R.E.D.E. to Communicate: Foundations of Healthcare program, and serves as a staff neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis.