The Center for Health Communication (CHC) has spent this fall looking for ways to support the mission and operations of Dell Medical School. One initiative I’m particularly excited about is the CHC Think Tank.

The Think Tank officially launched a month ago as a way to provide quick thoughts and feedback about health communication issues facing Dell Medical School – particularly as it relates to patient care.  The Think Tank includes faculty and staff from the Center for Health Communication, Dell Medical School, Moody College of Communication, Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and School of Nursing. David Ring, the Dell Medical School Associate Dean for Comprehensive Care and member of the CHC Steering Committee, has been a strong champion of the creation of the Think Tank and its work.

The Think Tank formalizes an informal process that had already been going on for quite a while. In the last month we have discussed potential names for patient support specialists within UT Health Austin, how to name clinics in a way that might be more patient-friendly, and how to navigate the challenging prescriber-patient conversations around pain and opioid use.

I’m not sure exactly where the Think Tank will go in the spring, but I’m optimistic about the potential for this initiative and group to contribute to the work of Dell Medical School and offer support for health communication challenges facing UT Health Austin. If you’re interested in getting involved in the Think Tank, e-mail mackert@utexas.edu for more information.