Conflict Resolution Expert Steve Goodstein to Brief Professionals for Patient Safety Meeting on Communication in Health Care

Professionals for Patient Safety is a group of members of the health care workforce (current or retired) and people who care for others who want to empower patients and their families.

At its next monthly meeting on February 13, the group will hear from mediator and arbitrator (and RN) Steve Goodstein R.N., M.S., C.P.H.Q., who will talk about what might be called the positive side of conflict within the practice of medicine.

Goodstein, who trained at Columbia and has worked and taught in the field for 15 years, says, “Conflict is usually the result of misunderstandings or unmet needs and expectations. In a health care setting, nobody is making individual decisions: there are always at least three or four parties involved. That multiplies the opportunities for misunderstandings and breakdowns in communication.”

Hence, says Goodstein, in health care conflict is almost inevitable. “Usually,” he continues, “conflict is viewed as a negative. But handled well, by trained people with good communication strategies in place, conflict can be a real positive, because it brings about change and improvement. This is especially true in health care with its protected, specialized environment. It takes time.”

He promises to leave those attending the meeting with a valuable “secret” tool that will improve communication in those difficult situations.

Meeting details:

When: February 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM
Where: the Imperial Diner, 63 W. Merrick Rd. Freeport.   Dinner off the menu is $20.00.
Space is limited. To reserve a place, contact info@pulseofny.org or (516) 579-4711.