The manner in which clinicians communicate with patients is heavily influenced by five distinct factors:

• The system in which they work
• The skills they have at their disposal
• Their motivation
• The roles that they adopt
• The traits that shape their behavior

Although continuing education needs and programs vary widely, most health care organizations and academic institutions have relatively little experience applying organization development and educational techniques to improving the communication behavior of clinicians or clinicians in training. Based upon our experience with many health care organizations involved in systemic change, the Institute has developed a blueprint for change that acts as a framework to consider possibilities. The collaborative task is to identify the multi-level changes that will have the greatest impact and then design programs to bring about these changes. Staff members provide professional development services in three major areas to a wide variety of organizational clients and program partners: Course Development, Training Materials, and Evaluation and Research. As a non-profit foundation, the Institute charges for the staff's professional development services through a daily fee rate that is set by the Board of Directors.