Our Vision

A health care system where every clinician is trained and empowered to skillfully discuss what matters most with seriously ill patients and their families.

Our Mission

Most health care providers in practice tell us they received very little training on how to communicate with patients and their families facing serious and life-threatening illness. The Conversation Lab™ was created to eliminate this education gap and lead research to enhance serious illness care at and beyond our health system.

We are empowering clinical teachers across specialties and disciplines with top-tier training to enhance their teaching skills and establish a shared approach to having and documenting serious illness conversations. This will allow our team to provide iterative and diverse learning experiences across the health system, enabling trainees to develop and refine their communication skills over time.

We lead research focusing on advancing communication skills in healthcare , particularly in complex interactions. We design and study innovative training methods and evaluate outcomes to improve patient-provider communication, foster empathy and enhance decision making in clinical settings. We are establishing Canada’s leading center for research and training in serious illness care.

We are leveraging decades of clinical, teaching and research expertise to deliver better care at UHN and beyond.

We’re glad you are here.