Fostering the creation of common ground between the academia and the profession: The ‘Position Papers Series’

As discussed in many publications in recent years, researchers in the field of healthcare communication are observing what looks like a paradox. In spite of decades of research and empirical studies providing insights and evidence in support of teaching and using appropriate communication skills for the provision of healthcare, it is still common to find suboptimal and unsatisfactory relational competencies in the professional world (see the special issue of Patient Education and Counseling on “Quality of Communication from the Patient Perspective” [1]). At times, one almost has the impression that all the advancement in knowledge on various topics concerning communication for healthcare delivery has remained confined to the academia, while only bits and pieces have reached the professionals.