Leadership and Faculty

The program for Interpersonal Communication And Relationship Enhancement (I*CARE) is a continuing education program for both clinical and research faculty, nurses, physician assistants and other health care professionals.

The programs presented are based on best practices and have been created and developed by Walter F Baile, M.D., and Robert Buckman, M.D., Ph.D. Additional expertise is provided by our faculty and the National, International and Internal Advisory Boards. I*CARE is also guided by a Survivorship Board.

I*CARE is a program of the Department of Faculty & Academic Career Enhancement (FACE) in the Division of Academic Affairs under Oliver Bogler, Ph.D., senior vice president for academic affairs.

This program is funded by a grant from the University Cancer Foundation and by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ronald DePinho, M.D., president.

The information on the site is maintained by the I*CARE program staff.

Download the I*CARE brochure 

Our Mission

Most cancer clinicians have not had the opportunity to develop their skills in managing difficult patient encounters such as those where there are strong emotions, stressed families or uncomfortable conversations when transitioning a patient to palliative care or discussing end of life. Oncology providers want to extend their role beyond treating disease to establishing a therapeutic and supportive alliance with the patient and family. Our goal is to assist you in sharpening the skills necessary to manage these challenging encounters.

Program Directors

Walter F. Baile, M.D., program director, has refined the techniques of teaching communication skills to include video and other media. According to Dr. Baile, “Communication is the cornerstone of comprehensive cancer care... it allows oncology clinicians to build meaningful relationships with their patients.” Dr. Baile has brought his talents in teaching communication skills to many parts of the world. He has published extensively in the area of oncology communication.

Catherine D. Kirkwood, M.P.H., Project Director, has 30 years of success in the development of educational programs for health care professionals in the Texas Medical Center. She is the former Clinical Education Director for the University of Texas AIDS Education & Training Center (AIDS ETC) for Texas and Oklahoma and Education Manager for The UT MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Complementary / Integrative Medicine Education Resources (CIMER) program/website. She was the Project Director for the International Health and Medical Media (FREDDIE) Award winning program “Important Conversations: Talking with Patients About Complementary Therapies” and the Telly Award winning program "Crossroads," which received two bronze awards in the categories of "Education" and "Training" and the highest award, the Silver People's Telly Award.

Program Faculty

Robert Buckman, M.D., Ph.D., medical oncologist at the Princess Margaret Hospital, professor at the University of Toronto and adjunct professor at MD Anderson, has established many of the principles and protocols in the area of communication skills and his techniques are taught at hospitals and medical schools around the world. He has produced a video series for patients and their doctors explaining in laymen’s terms the symptoms and treatment of common illnesses, from angina to breast cancer. The content in this series earned a five star rating from the EPEC (Educating Practitioners in End of Life Care) program and a bronze award from the British Medical Association.

Jean Campbell, L.C.S.W., CET III, TEP, director of the Action Institute of California and instructor at UCLA, has utilized action methods and role training in medical, corporate and clinical settings for over a decade. She has offered trainings and workshops on a national and international level, and, by utilizing action-oriented techniques that allow participants to “try on” new roles and behaviors rather than just talking about them, offers healthcare practitioners an opportunity to build new, solid skills that they can then take into their work with patients.

Daniel Epner, M.D., received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and completed his clinical and research fellowship in medical oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Epner is on the faculty in the Department of Palliative Care and Rehabilitation Medicine. His primary scholarly focus is patient-provider communication and teaching communication skills. Dr. Epner has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and is developing research and educational programs to improve cancer care near the end of life.

Renato Lenzi, M.D., FACP, is a medical oncologist and clinical associate professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Lenzi has designed and taught communication skills workshops for oncologists nationally and internationally in collaboration with Drs. Baile and Buckman. He is currently conducting research on physician / patient communication in patients with pancreatic cancer and unknown primary cancer and in the design and evaluation of communication training in oncology.

Patricia A. Parker, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Science at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her primary focus is in conducting research in the area of healthcare practitioner-patient communication and quality of life of individuals with cancer. Dr. Parker has several NIH-funded trials examining the associations between uncertainty and communication on psychosocial adjustment and quality of life in patients with advanced cancers. Her work also focuses on evaluating outcomes of communication skills training.

 Antonella Surbone, M.D., Ph.D. trained in radiation therapy and medical oncology at the National Tumor Institute in Milan, Italy, and at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda. She is currently professor of medicine at New York University, New York, and lecturer in moral philosophy and bioethics at the Universities of Rome and Turin, Italy. From 2004 to 2006 she was of head of the Teaching Research & Development Department of the European School of Oncology in Milano, Italy. She has published extensively in the fields of medical oncology and bioethics, focusing on the patient-doctor relationship, truth telling and cultural competence, ethical and social implications of genetic testing for cancer predispositions, ethics of clinical trials in the elderly and disclosure of medical errors in oncology.

Phyddy Tacchi, R.N., C.N.S., LMFT, LPC, is a psychiatric advanced practice nurse who specializes in the treatment of psychiatric difficulties patients and caregivers encounter in adjusting to living a life with cancer. She conducts workshops with cancer center staff to enhance their communication skills during difficult interactions with patients and families. She has produced two videos entitled “Caring for the Cancer Patient: The Caregiver's Perspective” and “Cancer & Marriage: Four Couples” and authored a caregiver booklet, “Caregivers: Facing the Challenge Together”.

 Rebecca Walters, MS, LMHC, LCAT, TEP, has been the director of the Hudson Valley Psychodrama Institute since 1989. With close to thirty five years of experience using psychodrama and experiential methods, she was the Director of Child and Adolescent Psychodrama Services at Four Winds Psychiatric Hospital, Katonah, NY. She has brought her well received training seminars on the use of action methods to conferences and training institutes throughout the US and abroad and is known for her warmth, sensitivity, humor, and ability to create a safe environment in which students can learn and practice new skills and roles.