Foundations of Serious Illness Communication Training

Serious Illness Communication refers to the skills clinicians use in conversations with patients and caregivers about their values and priorities in the context of health and illness trajectory. These conversations about what matters most are key to providing a foundation for collaborative, informed decision-making, both in-the-moment and in the future.

Our interprofessional Foundations of Serious Illness Communication training introduces a practical framework for these conversations, universal skills that promote meaningful engagement and connection, and strategies to adapt these skills to your specific discipline and role.

This course is grounded in the updated MGB Serious Illness Conversation Guide, adapted from the Ariadne Labs’ Guide through an iterative process with clinicians across our health system. We believe that shared language strengthens collaboration within and across teams, and makes it easier to teach these skills to others.