The Communicative-Relational Operating Model of the Italian National Institute of Health for an Effective Telephone Intervention in Public Health, Structured on Basic Counselling Skills

Abstract

Introduction: Communication has a crucial role in public health, because it becomes an essential component of prevention; it is also a proactive tool in health promotion. From a planning perspective, it is appropriate to use communication means that can help the bidirectional communication process, such as face-to-face communication and telephone communication.

Materials and methods: In relation to this, the Italian National Institute of Health has developed the "Modello Operativo Comunicativo-Relazionale" (the "Communicative-Relational Operating Model"). It is based on the fundamental skills of the counselling, this gives a protocol to the health professionals that is replicable and organized and it allows health professionals to carry out a telephone communication that is efficient with the user through technical-scientific and communication-relational skills. The goal is to answer in a customized way to the various users' health needs. The Operating Model was created by experts of the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Helpline of the Operational Unit of Psycho-Socio-Behavioural Research, Communication, Training, of the Infectious Diseases Department. Later, the Operating Model was proposed to the experts of the Helplines in the National Centre on Addictions and Doping and the National Helpline of the National Centre for Rare Diseases in the National Institute of Health that integrated this method into their telephone approach.

Results: The Operating Model illustrated above was applied to several helplines of the National Institute of Health as an example of correct scientific information, updated and customized on sexual transmitted infections, addictions and rare diseases.

Conclusions: This article aims to illustrate the Operating Model, the theoretical prerequisites that subtend it and its possible application in the different public health structures that use the telephone for a profes-sional relationship with their users.

Keywords: Addictions; Counselling basic skills; Helpline; Operative Model; Rare Diseases; Sexually Transmitted Infections; Telephone Communication.