The Program to Enhance Relational and Communication Skills (PERCS) began at Boston Children's Hospital in 2002 by offering innovative, experiential day-long workshops focused on difficult conversations in pediatric critical care. As PERCS expanded its scope over time to apply to a wide range of difficult conversations in pediatric as well as adult healthcare, we realized we needed an institution home and organizational structure to support these initiatives. To that end, with the generous support of Boston Children's Hospital, the Institute for Professionalism & Ethical Practice (IPEP) was launched in March 2007.
IPEP is an interdisciplinary educational initiative dedicated to cultivating relational competence in health care. We specialize in developing and conducting innovative educational programs and interventions focused on difficult conversations occurring across a wide range of settings in pediatric and adult medicine.
Our mission is to promote relational learning for healthcare professionals that integrates patient and family perspectives, professionalism, and the everyday ethics of clinical practice.
To date, more than 1,500 healthcare professionals have participated in one of our educational programs.
