Challenging Patient Encounters:

Communication & Behavior Change

Where Behavioral Insight Meets Clinical Excellence

A practical, evidence-informed virtual program designed to help O&P professionals, students, and residents strengthen communication, improve patient engagement, and navigate complex clinical interactions with greater confidence.

Program Overview

This program features two one-hour live virtual sessions for orthotics and prosthetics professionals, students, and residents seeking to strengthen communication skills, improve patient adherence, and navigate complex clinical interactions with confidence.

Through expert-led presentations and interactive case discussions, participants will explore practical, evidence-informed strategies to enhance patient engagement and support meaningful health behavior change.

From managing difficult conversations to understanding the roles of adult learning, motivation, and interdisciplinary collaboration, attendees will leave with tools they can apply across a variety of clinical scenarios.

Program Agenda

Session One September 23, 2026 Session Two October 15, 2026

Session One

Understanding and Managing Challenging Encounters

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 12:00–1:00 PM ET

Introduction to Challenging Encounters

John Brinkmann, CPO
^{Associate Professor, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation,}^{Northwestern University Prosthetics-Orthotics Center}

Explore what makes patient interactions difficult, with a focus on adherence, communication barriers, and the foundations of health behavior change.

Early Career Perspectives

Kelly Berk, CPO/LPO
^{Shamrock Prosthetics, Inc.}

Gain insight into real-world challenges faced by early-career clinicians and strategies for building confidence in complex situations.

Navigating Difficult Conversations

Amy Funke, CPO
^{MSOP Program Director and Assistant Professor, Concordia University}

Explore how emotional intelligence can help clinicians identify the “hidden baseline” of a skeptical patient. By moving from a purely biomechanical assessment to an EQ-driven partnership, clinicians can navigate difficult conversations to improve device acceptance, patient outcomes, and long-term satisfaction.

Session Two

Education, Motivation, and Collaborative Care

Thursday, October 15, 2026 12:00–1:00 PM ET

Adult Learning Principles in Patient Care

Shawn Quilter, PhD
^{Professor of Educational Psychology}

Understand how adults learn and how to apply these principles to improve patient education and communication.

Interdisciplinary Care in Diabetes Management

Jacalyn Harris, MPO, CPO/L
^{Assistant Professor, Drexel University}

Examine experiences working within an interprofessional team to educate patients on diagnosis, physical effects, and wound healing while addressing scope-of-practice considerations.

Education vs. Motivation

Beth Garland, PhD
^{Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine}

Explore strategies to navigate patient ambivalence and effectively support health behavior change.

Who Should Attend

Certified orthotists and prosthetists
O&P residents and early-career clinicians
Allied health professionals involved in patient care and rehabilitation
Clinicians seeking to improve patient communication, adherence, and outcomes

Why Attend?

Challenging patient encounters are a routine part of clinical practice—but they don’t have to be a barrier to effective care. This program provides practical tools and frameworks you can immediately apply to improve communication, strengthen patient relationships, and support better clinical outcomes.

Leave with strategies you can put into practice right away.

What You’ll Learn

Identify factors that contribute to challenging patient encounters, including barriers to adherence and behavior change.

Apply communication strategies that support respectful, effective, and patient-centered interactions.

Recognize the impact of trauma and emotional factors on patient engagement and clinical outcomes.

Use emotional intelligence skills to navigate difficult conversations and build trust.

Differentiate between patient education and motivation and apply techniques to address ambivalence.

Incorporate adult learning principles into patient education to improve understanding and retention.

Describe the role of interdisciplinary collaboration, including important scope-of-practice considerations.

Apply behavioral science concepts through case-based discussions to improve clinical decision-making.

Register for One Session—or Attend Both and Save

Select the session that best supports your practice, or attend both for the complete learning experience. Behavioral Science Society members attend free.

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