Improving Provider-Patient Communication in Primary Care Clinics

Northeast Valley Health Corporation (NEVHC) is a Federally Qualified Health Center in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys with multiple primary care clinics providing medical services to underserved and uninsured populations. NEVHC has made quality improvement a priority and therefore, the Plan-Do-Study-Act model is the best suited for the organization's program planning to improve provider communication. Studies have shown provider-patient communication is an important part of patient experience which may have an impact on patient outcomes, such as disease understanding and control, adherence, well-being, satisfaction, and safety. This graduate project proposes a strategy using the Social Cognitive Theory to improve communication in the provider-patient relationship in primary care settings by implementing a communication skills training for medical providers. The SAGE & THYME Foundation Level (S&T FL) program is an evidence-based intervention that consists of a three-hour workshop facilitated by three instructors and provided to up to thirty participants. The workshop includes small group discussions, description of the S&T FL model and two practice sessions in using the S&T FL model. The goal of the intervention is to improve provider communication skills. The objectives are to increase knowledge of communication skills, reproduce skills taught in the program, self-efficacy, and outcome expectancy. The evaluation consists of questionnaires pre- and post-workshop with follow-up questionnaires at two weeks and two months post-workshop. It will also compare data on patient experience, as well as data 1 year before and after the intervention. This intervention is expected to improve provider communication skills thereby improving patients' experience, and outcomes.