2005 Koppaka Family Foundation Lecture

Communicating Evidence
for Informed Decision-Making

13 April 2005

Ronald Epstein, M.D.
Departments of Family Medicine and Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

David Slawson, M.D.
Department of Family Medicine, UVA Health System

Deciding on optimal health care and treatment options is a concern shared by patients, families and physicians. With the advent of the Internet, an unprecedented amount of medical information is accessible to the general public, but there are few guidelines for sharing information in an understandable and useful way. This Medical Center Hour focuses on effective ways patients and physicians can engage in meaningful dialogue about clinical evidence, and apply it to patient care respectful of patients' values, needs and preferences.

Ron Epstein , M.D. is Professor of Family Medicine and Psychiatry, Director of Research in the Department of Family Medicine, Founding Director of the Rochester Center to Improve Communication in Health Care, the Associate Dean for Educational Evaluation and Research at the University of Rochester (as of July 1, 2004), and a practicing family physician.

A graduate of Wesleyan University and Harvard Medical School, Dr.  Epstein completed a residency in Family Medicine and fellowship training in Biopsychosocial Medicine in Rochester. His  research focus has been on improving patient-physician communication in challenging situations involving HIV, mental illness, chronic disease and those with medically unexplained symptoms. His current federally-funded research studies the impact of patient-centered care on health outcomes and health care costs, and also how physicians can effectively address patients’ multiple requests and expectations.

He has authored over 90 publications, including two seminal articles – the 1999 JAMA article, “Mindful Practice” and the 2002 JAMA article, “Defining and Assessing Professional Competence” – which have drawn attention to the importance of the habits of mind of master clinicians. He led the development of the “Comprehensive Assessment,” an intensive 2-week multi-method assessment of the “whole physician,” including basic knowledge, clinical skills, teamwork and professionalism.

He has received funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institutes of Mental Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the Department of Health and Human Services. With Fulbright foundation support, he initiated a rich ongoing collaboration with colleagues in Spain on medical education and research. Dr. Epstein was named the first George Engel and John Romano Dean’s Teaching Scholar at the University of Rochester.