Invited Speakers

Professor Richard L. Street, Jr. Texas A&M University, USA

Communication pathways to improved health outcomes: The ‘what’ and ‘how’ of effective clinician-patient communication

Few would argue with the claim that effective clinician-patient communication is an integral component of quality health care. Effective communication should also lead to improvements in patients’ health. However, what ‘counts as’ effective communication in clinical encounters (i.e.., how to assess it) and in what ways communication can contribute to better health outcomes (e.g., what are the communication pathways) are complex and often poorly investigated. In this presentation, I will shed some light on these issues. First, I’ll provide an overview of some of the inconsistent and conflicting research on whether communication predicts subsequent health improvement. Second, I’ll examine the fragmented world of how effective communication is conceptualized and measured. Third, I’ll forward a model of direct and indirect pathways through which communication can contribute to improved health. This includes initially identifying the pathways most likely to produce the desired health outcome (e.g., metabolic control, less pain) and then determining what features of clinician-patient communication can activate that pathway. Once desired features of communication are identified, then researchers and clinicians can decide what is the best way to assess or measure these communication elements. Several studies will be proffered as exemplars. I’ll conclude with a discussion of next steps for future research and quality improvement initiatives.

Professor Bernadette Watson & Dr Amos Yung International Research Centre for the Advancement of Health Communication, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Improving handovers in the Emergency Department

In this presentation, Professor Watson will discuss the issues that the Emergency Departments (EDs) face during their shift handover (hand-off). She will discuss the challenges of conducting research in the ED environment and the problems faced by researchers, clinicians, and ED patients. Professor Watson will outline a new programme of research examining ED handover that will span the UK, Australia, the USA, Israel, and it is hoped Hong Kong will also become a partner in this research.

Dr Amos Yung will discuss his preliminary findings from scoping reviews he has conducted on clinical handover in the hospital system and also from his recent review which focuses more specifically on shift handovers in ED.

Discussion will be welcomed from participants.

Using video-reflexive ethnography to understand learning in and through work

Video-reflexive ethnography (VRE) is an innovative research methodology used to explore complex practices. Using medical staff workplace learning as an example, I will share insights into conducting a VRE study and its core guiding principles of care, collaboration, exnovation and reflexivity.

Collaborative Practice, featuring a description of how "Friday night in the ER Room"

Kate Delany will be presenting on the “Friday Night at the ER” education program that is being used in Metro South Health, Queensland as a part of the Promoting Teamwork and Interprofessional Collaboration Project.

The Friday Night at the ER program is an internationally acclaimed simulation game that is focused to improving team performance, breaking down siloes and applying systems thinking. This is being used in Metro South Health to help them apply the concepts of interprofessional collaboration and teamwork, innovation and data-driven decision making.

Dr Eric So Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong

What could the training and administrative teams do during COVID?

Established in 2011, Multidisciplinary Simulation and Skills Centre (MDSSC) in Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) is one of the eleven Hospital Authority training centres in Hong Kong. Dr Eric So is a senior consultant anaesthesiologist in QEH and the Associate Director of MDSSC. He is responsible for training course curriculum implementation, research activities, application of innovation and centre development. In 2020, Hong Kong was among the first batch of places to be inflicted by COVID-19. Almost all routine hospital training activities were seriously hampered and eventually came to a halt. MDSSC swiftly decided to re-define its role in the midst of this crisis. It applied its strength and connections to contribute to the well-being of hospital staff and camaraderie with other hospital teams in this odyssey. Both the educators and administrative staff of the centre were deeply engaged with other hospital colleagues in a collective effort to face the adversity.