The Academy of Communication in Healthcare is excited to host, “ACH Coffee Conversations”, an interactive discussion series. This free engagement opportunity will highlight specific healthcare communication-related topics, with an aim of building the ACH community through interactive virtual gatherings. 

LEARN: 25-minute featured guest interview: Please refer to the upcoming guest list and topics below.

CONNECT: 35-minute breakout group discussions: Connect for informal breakout conversations with colleagues from around the world. Breakout groups (4-6 participants) occur and feature prompts to enhance rich discussion relevant to the featured guest interview.

FREE REGISTRATION: Click the links below to sign up for sessions highlighting communication topics of interest to the ACH community of educators, researchers, and healthcare leaders dedicated to supporting patient, family, and clinician experiences.

FEATURED GUEST APPLICATION: ACH members are invited to apply for the opportunity to be a featured guest during an "ACH Coffee Conversations" series. Please CLICK HERE to apply.

PAST SESSIONS: Post-session recordings will be available to ACH members via ACH Connect. Interested in becoming an ACH member? To join our community, click here.

SESSION GOALS:

• Describe what Coaching is and how it differs from Advising, Mentoring and Psychological Therapy.
• Discuss the outcomes that have come from a Coaching study at Duke.
• Reflect upon where Coaching might be used in your setting.

Elizabeth Ross has been on the faculty at Duke University School of Medicine for 30 years. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and an Associate Consulting Professor in the Department of Orthopedics. Additionally, she is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC-ICF). Her passions reside in teaching communication, reflection and self-awareness skills to healthcare professionals, including DPT, MD and Masters of Biomedical Science students. She thrives on interprofessional collaboration in education, inclusion of Humanities in healthcare education and research to improve the communication skills and well-being for all medical professionals in the service of their patients. Elizabeth is a Fellow and was a Board Member in the Academy of Communication in Healthcare (ACH) for 6 years; and a Distinguished Member of Duke AHEAD (Academy for Health Professions Education and Academic Development).

SESSION GOALS:

• Recognize the importance of addressing the needs of your patient and their caregivers in the communication you provide (emotional, health literacy, self-management, what the patient wants to know)
• Identify ways to encourage patient engagement in their care (inviting questions, eliciting their opinions on treatment options)
• Acknowledge the impact of illness/treatment on a patient's life and letting that inform your communication with the patient

Zainab Shipchandler, MPH is a public health promotion consultant based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Her company, ZRF Group Inc. focuses on partnering with healthcare organizations to promote health literacy and public health best practices through research, training, and strategic planning. She is an advocate for the importance of the patient’s perspective in the development and dissemination of health education. Her work is informed by her own experiences as a patient and recognizing the importance of communication in the therapeutic relationship firsthand. Her past experience includes health literacy promotion at Children's Health in Dallas, clinical practice guideline development at the American Heart Association, and maintenance of certification assessment development at the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts from Rice University.

Post-session recordings will be available to ACH members via ACH Connect. Interested in becoming an ACH member? To join our community, click here.