Think Tank
The CHC Think Tank’s collective of interdisciplinary professionals tackles the multidimensional challenges facing healthcare and distills their expertise into practical solutions.
What we do
Communication Conundrum? Request Help
1-on-1 Communication Training
Team Communication Training
Deep dives
Health and Persuasion
How does it feel to know your healthcare team might be trying to persuade you? How can clinicians use persuasive techniques without being perceived as being coercive?
Take the shot: Exploring vaccine promotion messaging
“What are some ideas for promoting the flu vaccine for this upcoming cycle that could be applied to the eventual promotion of a COVID-19 vaccine?”
Addressing and Documenting Patient Frustration and Distress
"How do I effectively communicate with frustrated or distressed patients, and how do I document it in the EMR?"
Breaking Bad News and Compassion Fatigue
"What is an evidence-based, compassionate way to talk with patients who are uninsured or underinsured?"
Life-Threatening Emergency: Challenging Discussions with Family/Beloved Ones
How do we talk to patients and family members about advanced care plans and end-of-life wishes in the midst of a pressing, life-threatening emergency?
COACH Program
Enrolling in the Communication Optimization and Compassion in Healthcare (COACH) program enhances clinician communication skills, decreases clinician burnout, and increases patient satification.
Enroll now
Meet out health communication coaches
Read about the impact COACH has made
Recent publications
Kleiss, I., Kortlever, J., Karyampudi, P., Ring, D., Brown, L., Reichel, L., Driscoll, M., Vagner, G. (2020). A Comparison of 4 Single-Question Measures of Patient Satisfaction. Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management, 27(1). https://www.mdedge.com/jcomjournal/article/216218/business-medicine/comparison-4-single-question-measures-patient
Menendez, M., van Hoorn, B., Mackert, M., Donovan, E., Chen, N., Ring, D. (2017). Patients With Limited Health Literacy Ask Fewer Questions During Office Visits With Hand Surgeons. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 475(5). https://journals.lww.com/clinorthop/abstract/2017/05000/patients_with_limited_health_literacy_ask_fewer.3.aspx
van Hoorn, B., Menendez, M., Mackert, M., Donovan, E., van Heijl, M., Ring, D. (2019). Missed Empathic Opportunities During Hand Surgery Office Visits. HAND, 16(5). https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1558944719873395