Engage Patients in Healthier Behavior with Johns Hopkins Patient Engagement Training

Change Your Culture. Engage Your Patients.

As payments to hospitals and ambulatory providers become increasingly dependent on improving patient satisfaction and patient engagement, it is vital that health care systems create and maintain a culture of patient-centered care. However, many hospitals don’t have the time or the skills to create and maintain this sort of culture—one that is capable of changing behaviors across health care teams, increasing patients’ engagement in their own care, and helping patients make healthier lifestyle choices.

The Johns Hopkins Patient Engagement Training program (JHPET) is a comprehensive, in-person, skills-based training program that teaches nurses, physicians, social workers and other providers how to change their team’s culture, engage their patients as partners in health care, and communicate in a way that motivates patients to engage in healthier behaviors.

JHPET uses evidence-based communication principles and motivational interviewing skills in a program that can be customized to meet local needs. It is built on the successful patient engagement training used across Johns Hopkins Medicine. Unlike most one-way, online communication skills training, the JHPET program provides in-person, interactive training that emphasizes skills development. The program’s unique year-long post-training maintenance phase with expert coaching is vital to help participants practice and advance their skills to achieve the culture and provider change that is necessary.

The JHPET program is delivered in four stages:
• Planning—includes a culture assessment, identification of the JHPET team and champion leaders, clarification of team goals, and development of a training plan;
• Introductory Training—60-minute, web-based learning;
• Live Training – 4 to 8 hours of skills training, a 1-hour education session for JHPET champion leaders;
• Maintenance & Evaluation—1-year support of trainee skill maintenance using email “JHPET Tip of the Month” with video learning and expert coaching of local champions, evaluation support with measurement of learner and patient outcomes.

More than 500 providers across Johns Hopkins Medicine have participated in the patient engagement training since it was first offered in 2012. Data from those participants indicate high levels of learner satisfaction and valuing of the skills developed. Outcome data indicate learners experience significant improvement in both their skills as well as their knowledge and attitudes about patient engagement.

To find out more about the Johns Hopkins Patient Engagement Training program, click here.