Designing Training to Improve Patient–Provider Communication

Our Challenge: The client sought to improve how healthcare providers communicate with patients undergoing treatment for a chronic, debilitating condition. While physicians focused heavily on dosing and clinical management, patients often delayed or discontinued treatment due to unmet emotional, cognitive, and motivational needs — barriers that were poorly understood and rarely addressed in clinical conversations. 

Our Unique Approach: We applied a behavioral science-led design process to identify the gap between intended clinical communication and patients' lived experiences. Through qualitative research and expert input, we surfaced key psychological challenges patients face — such as unrealistic expectations, loss of identity, stigma, and declining motivation — and translated these insights into practical engagement strategies. We then equipped providers with concrete tools and techniques to support more empathetic, effective patient conversations. 

Successful Outcomes: The work resulted in a set of behaviorally grounded training modules that helped providers better engage patients and address non-clinical barriers to adherence. These modules were adopted in global meetings and subsequently adapted by country teams for localized training programs, supporting more patient-centered communication and improved treatment engagement.