Difficult encounters are associated with increased likelihood of patient and family initiating a malpractice claim in the face of disappointed expectations, or simply making intensely critical comments about a clinician or service on social media or in other forums. The likelihood of agreeing to and adhering to a treatment plan is much lower in the context of an unsatisfying or contentious interaction with a healthcare provider. It has also become clear that these difficult encounters weigh heavily on the mood and satisfaction for the clinicians involved. More recent research on clinician burnout has shown that feelings of ineffectiveness are associated with clinicians becoming both depressed and alienated as care providers.     

Research has shown that 10-15% of encounters between healthcare providers and patients and families are judged by providers as difficult or frustrating in some way. Increased experience and specific skills and demeanors have been shown to reduce both the frequency and the severity of difficult interactions, while also increasing the chance that these encounters can be turned around efficiently. Hospitalist providers face the especially challenging situation of not having established relationships with patient and family, and not being the patient's primary provider of cancer care. In addition, hospitalists are often encountering the patient and family during times of most medical danger and must coordinate their care with admitting providers and consultants at a crucial time for all. This workshop is intended as an advanced program, which will apply skills to situations that hospitalist providers identify as most challenging.