Communicating Serious News: The House Model: Enrollments

Communication is one of the most critical skills in medicine and not widely taught. Communication is an exchange of information and meaning. Communicating Serious News: The House Model was developed in the setting of caring for patients with serious progressive illness, where we have some of the most emotional and difficult conversations. This module was developed to help learners develop skills for those conversations. The national survey conducted by Whitsett et al. (2022) highlights significant gaps in palliative care (PC) training among transplant hepatology fellows. Despite the recognized benefits of PC for patients with cirrhosis, the survey reveals variability in physician experiences and perspectives on best practices. Key findings indicate that while most fellows feel moderately to very comfortable with communication skills such as breaking bad news and leading family meetings, a substantial proportion report discomfort in managing psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and spiritual distress. Additionally, nearly one-quarter of fellows have never discussed or documented advance care plans during their fellowship. The survey underscores the need for enhanced training in specific domains, particularly in the assessment and management of physical symptoms and psychological distress. Fellows expressed a desire for further instruction in these areas to improve their competencies and ultimately enhance patient care. Addressing these educational gaps is crucial for developing well-rounded transplant hepatologists capable of providing comprehensive palliative care. Incorporating insights from the “Advanced Multimodal Communication Curriculum for Pediatric Residents” by Marsh et al., it is evident that innovative curricular approaches and targeted educational interventions are essential to bridge these gaps. Emphasizing experiential learning, simulation-based training, and interdisciplinary collaboration can significantly enhance the effectiveness of education.

Credit & MOC Details

Credit information is provided by the course provider. We recommend confirming credit eligibility with the provider or your licensing board before starting the activity.