tfme.org

The Foundation for Medical Excellence Northwest Center for Physician-Patient Communication, created in 1994, is dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare in the Pacific Northwest through education and research in physician-patient communication.

Studies demonstrate that the benefits of improved communication include more accurate diagnosis, greater willingness by patients to follow physician instructions, increased patient satisfaction and better patient outcomes.

Working in close collaboration with the American Academy on Physician and Patient, medical schools, state medical boards and physician organizations, the Center seeks to improve physician-patient communication, enhance physician well-being and improve the quality of healthcare by:

• Providing educational programs for physicians in the Northwest United States and Canada.
• Providing educational experiences for residents, to improve their communication skills and confidence.
• Improving physicians' satisfaction with the practice of medicine and patients' satisfaction with their healthcare.
• Conducting research to develop and test new approaches to enhancing the physician-patient relationship.
• Providing patient education programs to prepare patients to work effectively as partners with their doctors.
• Serving as a resource center for physicians and their organizations.

Programs currently being offered are: