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Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

The Johns Hopkins Patient Engagement Program (PEP)

Schechter (middle) at a patient engagement training.

The Johns Hopkins Patient Engagement Program (PEP) is a comprehensive, evidence-based training and consultation program that improves the quality of patient-health care professional relationships and increases patient engagement in health and health care.

We support clinics, units, and systems to focus on four key areas: improving patient health outcomes, reducing health care costs, improving patient experience, and supporting professionals in their work.

To learn more about the training program, visit our full PEP website or contact Nicole Schechter, Psy. D.

Benefits of PEP

  • Has demonstrated significant impact on professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and communication skills for engaging patients in health and health care
  • Has demonstrated significant impact on patients’ experience of and satisfaction with health care communication
  • Can be customized to meet local needs and specific audiences
  • Can provide health care professionals with necessary CEs and CMEs
  • Builds respect for patients’ values and preferences
  • Promotes efficient coordination and integration of care
  • Involves family and friends in patients’ health care

Training Program Options

When you engage in PEP, you get a range of solutions:

E-Learning Curriculum

Online access to PEP Foundational Modules (2.5 hours), which cover patient engagement principles and skills.

Skills Workshops

Live training session(s) (virtual or in-person) customized for your team and led by an expert (2 – 4 hours). Workshop includes demonstration, skills-practice, coaching and take-home materials.

Maintenance Program

Emailed patient engagement “Tip of the Month,” Champion Program and Train-the-Trainer Program.

PEP has exceeded our expectations! The framework and insights will definitely assist in our efforts to improve patient engagement, and will also provide tools that will improve our approach to staff engagement in key practice initiatives.

Medical director of a primary care clinic in Howard County

Our Team

Nicole E. Schechter, Psy.D.

Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
portrait of Nicole Schechter

Stephen T Wegener, M.A., Ph.D.

Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Director, Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
portrait of Stephen T Wegener

Tricia Kirkhart

Project Director
portrait of Tricia Kirkhart

Events

PEP Quarterly Workshops for Johns Hopkins University Faculty

Our team offers a quarterly workshop for JHU faculty interested in building their own patient engagement skills. Registering and paying for the workshop also gives access to the PEP e-learning curriculum. Tuition remission may be used. To sign up for a future quarterly workshop, please contact Tricia Kirkhart at [email protected].

Johns Hopkins Critical Care Rehabilitation Conference

The Johns Hopkins Critical Care Rehabilitation Conference helps providers create a culture of proactive rehabilitation. As part of the Combating the Hospital Immobility Harm - Foundations track, our team will give a talk on patient engagement and its role in immobility harm.

Johns Hopkins Hospital Activity and Mobility Conference

Our team presents a half-day track at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Activity and Mobility Conference. The discussions focus on the basics of patient engagement and how to overcome patient refusal. Stay tuned for more on this year's conference.