Fireside Chat with CAPC’s Brynn Bowman

Posted on by David Schwartz

In the spirit of VitalTalk and CAPC’s continued partnership, we sat down by an open fire (virtually and metaphorically) with CAPC’s CEO, Brynn Bowman. Read the interview below:

  1. What are, from your perspective, some of the most impactful highlights of VitalTalk/CAPC partnership projects thus far?

In the five years since VitalTalk and CAPC launched our online continuing education curriculum, clinician learners have completed more than 135,000 courses on serious illness communication.  These courses have given health professionals all over the country the tools to have compassionate, patient-centered conversations with patients and families coping with serious illness.  Thanks to this longstanding partnership, our organizations were able to quickly mobilize in March of 2020 to deliver conversation scripts, video tutorials, and coaching sessions to tens of thousands of clinicians on the front lines of the pandemic.  It makes me proud to know that amidst so much fear and uncertainty, our work helped clinicians to connect with patients through critical conversations.

  1. Where do you see CAPCs role in the next 3 years of serious illness care?

CAPC is committed to realizing our vision: that all people with serious illness and their families get care that matches their goals, and that addresses the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs that make the difference for quality of life.  In the coming years, we will be focused on strategies that address inequities in serious illness care, drive toward standardized access and quality of palliative care services for patients in all care settings, and equip health care change agents with the information and skills needed to transform care on behalf of patients with serious illness.

  1. How do you see VitalTalk and CAPC creating powerful partnership moving forward?

CAPC and VitalTalk make a powerful team.  CAPC has a long track record enabling health care leaders to improve the quality of care delivered to people with serious illness.  VitalTalk delivers best in class communication skills training in-person and virtually. Through our partnership, VitalTalk and CAPC have the combination of tools and training health care organizations need to design, implement, and sustain initiatives to improve the quality of communication with patients and families.