Research and Impact Initiative on Communication in Healthcare (HKU RIICH) in the Faculty of Arts, the University of Hong Kong is an international interdisciplinary research hub that was launched in June 2019. We are a group of academic scholars working across the fields of language and communication, education, social sciences, and medicine. We conduct innovative evidence-based research on healthcare communication with the aim of transforming healthcare practices and healthcare education in Hong Kong and internationally.

At HKU RIICH, we understand the critical importance of health communication for all aspects of effective healthcare: from health prevention and health maintenance to illness, treatment, and recovery. Effective health communication applies to all types of health care settings: primary care and hospital contexts; pediatric and aged care contexts; acute illnesses and chronic diseases. Through our interdisciplinary research, we work to enhance healthcare communication and to contribute to quality healthcare and patient safety and well-being.

We are committed to impactful research and work closely with medical and healthcare institutions, health NGOs, and community groups in Hong Kong and internationally. We apply evidence-based findings from our research to develop educational resources for pre- and post-qualification medical and health professionals and to engage in community outreach programmes.