(September 22, 2009) Washington, D.C. – Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, president of Canyon Ranch Institute and 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006) convened a meeting of medical societies, government organizations and patient advocacy groups today in Washington, D.C. to discuss the importance of effective communication between patients and health care professionals, such as physicians and nurses, and to introduce a new program called Time to Talk CARDIO - Creating A Real Dialogue In the Office. The Time to Talk CARDIO program is designed to help patients and health care professionals have more productive conversations about heart health. A key component of Time to Talk CARDIO is a free, cardiovascular, communication skill-building tool that features more than 550 videos demonstrating methods to help make the most of the limited time in a medical visit. To learn more about Time to Talk CARDIO, visit www.timetotalkcardio.com.

Time to Talk CARDIO is an educational program underwritten by Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals and developed in partnership with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation, Canyon Ranch Institute (CRI) and RIASWorks.

Attending organizations were invited to join the Time to Talk CARDIO Network and engage in a movement to help improve the dialogue between patients and health care professionals in an effort to positively impact cardiovascular health outcomes. Currently, cardiovascular disease causes more than 870,000 deaths in the United States each year. While great progress has been made in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease, many patients fail to experience the full benefit from their treatment plans for a variety of factors. The Time to Talk CARDIO program involves the strategic use of targeted communication approaches that foster an effective working partnership between patients and health care professionals that may help improve management and control of cardiovascular disease.

"As a nation we must continue to innovate in order to improve the health of all Americans," said Dr. Carmona who serves as Chair of the Time to Talk CARDIO Advisory Board. "Together with the founding partners of Time to Talk CARDIO, I am pleased to invite health leaders and advocates to join the Time to Talk CARDIO coalition. We are collaborating to advance health literacy about prevention and management of heart disease. I look forward to the day when we might also apply the lessons we learn from the Time to Talk CARDIO program to help prevent and manage other chronic diseases.”

Both health care professionals and patients may benefit from improved in-office dialogue. “Research shows that good physician communication is related to greater satisfaction with their patient visits,” said Debra Roter, Dr.P.H., M.P.H. of RIASWorks. “Studies have found that patient recall of instructions, satisfaction with care, adherence to medical recommendations and appointment-keeping are consistently related to communication skills.”

CRI is coordinating in-clinic research to assess the effects of the Time to Talk CARDIO program on health care professionals and patients, while family physician practices selected by the AAFP Foundation are piloting the program. "We have started testing the Time to Talk CARDIO program, and initial findings indicate an improvement in satisfaction with the medical visit among both patients and physicians," said Dr. Jason Dees, a family physician based in New Albany, Mississippi who is piloting the Time to Talk CARDIO tool. "This is an important learning about the program as strengthening the therapeutic relationship may potentially impact adherence with physician recommendations."

The Time to Talk CARDIO program will continue to roll out locally throughout the United States in the coming months, and a national launch is planned in February 2010. Organizations and health care professionals interested in joining the Time to Talk CARDIO Network or learning more about the program can visit the Web site at www.timetotalkcardio.com.

Time to Talk CARDIO is an educational program underwritten by Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals.  The program, developed in partnership with the AAFP Foundation, CRI and RIASWorks, is dedicated to advancing cardiovascular health by helping to improve the dialogue between patients and health care professionals.  The Time to Talk CARDIO tool was modeled after LEAPS, a framework developed by Debra Roter, Dr.P.H., M.P.H of RIASWorks, to assist health care professionals and patients in improving their in-clinic conversations. LEAPS addresses five key areas: Listen, Educate, Assess, Partner and Support.  The Time to Talk CARDIO program also offers many free cardiovascular-focused educational resources, including patient and health care provider brochures, posters and goal setting work sheets.  Materials are available free to download or order from the Time to Talk CARDIO web site at www.timetotalkcardio.com.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation advances the values of Family Medicine by promoting humanitarian, educational, and scientific initiatives that improve the health of all people. The AAFP Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Family Physicians, which is one of the largest national medical organizations, representing more than 94,600 family physicians, family medicine residents, and medical students nationwide. Thanks to funding from physician members and corporate partners, the AAFP Foundation supports good work that makes a difference at home and around the world.

Canyon Ranch Institute (CRI) catalyzes the possibility of optimal health for all people by translating the best practices of Canyon Ranch and its partners to help educate, inspire, and empower every person to prevent disease and embrace a life of wellness. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, CRI collaborates with partners to improve health literacy, prevent disease, and eliminate health disparities. CRI President Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006), is chair of the Time to Talk CARDIO Advisory Board, and CRI Executive Director Jennifer Cabe, M.A., serves on the Time to Talk CARDIO Advisory Board.  CRI Health Literacy and Communication Director Andrew Pleasant, Ph.D., is coordinating the in-clinic research to assess the impact of the Time to Talk CARDIO skill-building tool and resources among patients and health care professionals.

RIASWorks was established in 2008 to contribute to the science of interpersonal communication in order to enhance health care quality, well being and health. The company supports research and professional education, quality assurance, and excellence in clinical practice through the provision of coding services and training in the use of the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) and the development and dissemination of evidence-based medical communication tools.

Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals is a joint venture between Merck & Co., Inc., and Schering-Plough Corporation. The collaboration includes worldwide markets (excluding Japan).