News Release

 

 

New Time to Talk CARDIO Program Aims to Improve Conversations for Better Heart Health

Unique Communication Skill-Building Tool Featured at Healthcare Conference on Practice Improvement Initiatives

(November 6, 2009) Kansas City, Mo. – Time to Talk CARDIO - Creating A Real Dialogue In the Office, a new program to help patients and health care professionals (HCPs) make the most of their conversations by building communication skills to help manage heart health, is being presented tomorrow at the Conference on Practice Improvement: Constructing the Medical Home. A key component of the Time to Talk CARDIO program is a free, cardiovascular, communication skill-building tool for patients and HCPs featuring more than 550 videos that demonstrate methods for more productive medical visits in the short amount of time that is often available. To learn more about Time to Talk CARDIO, 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, visit www.timetotalkcardio.com.

“Effective communication is important to creating and maintaining the medical home, and the AAFP Foundation is proudly committed to collaborating on Time to Talk CARDIO as we believe that optimal treatment decisions and care are facilitated by strong relationships between patients and health care professionals,” said Craig Doane, AAFP vice president for corporate development and executive director for the AAFP Foundation.

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, grounded in evidence-based research, uses targeted communication approaches that foster an effective working partnership between patients and HCPs that may help improve management and control of cardiovascular disease. A core component of the program is an innovative communication skill-building training customized for both patients and HCPs. The tools specifically target doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and nurses - all members of the medical home who are in contact with patients.

Both HCPs and patients can benefit from improved in-office dialogue. "Research shows that good physician communication is related to greater satisfaction with their patient visits," stated Dr. Randell K. Wexler, MPH, FAAFP. "Studies have found that patient recall of instructions, satisfaction with care, adherence to medical recommendations, appointment-keeping, and clinical outcomes such as blood pressure are consistently related to communication skills."

To further inform the Time to Talk CARDIO program, family physician practices around the nation were selected by the AAFP Foundation to pilot the program, and CRI is coordinating in-clinic research to assess the program’s impact and effects on improving the communication between HCPs and patients. “Our hope is that Time to Talk CARDIO will advance the health literacy of all Americans and lead to improved prevention and management of heart disease,” said Andrew Pleasant, Ph.D., health literacy and communication director at Canyon Ranch Institute and an assistant professor at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

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. To further expand the outreach and dissemination of the program to patients and HCPs, Time to Talk CARDIO is developing a national network of health care organizations, patient advocacy groups, and professional societies collaborating to promote awareness and solutions around communication and cardiovascular disease management. Organizations and HCPs who are interested in joining the Time to Talk CARDIO Network can find more information 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).