Will be available in paperback and e-book in 2027

Description

BIFF for Healthcare delivers a practical, evidence-informed approach to one of the most pressing challenges in modern healthcare: managing emotionally charged, high-conflict communication without escalating risk, burnout, or complaints.

Adapted from Bill Eddy’s internationally recognized BIFF Response® Method (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm), this book translates a proven conflict-communication framework into real-world healthcare settings. Readers learn how to respond effectively to demanding patients, distressed families, high-conflict colleagues, and disruptive physicians—while maintaining professionalism, boundaries, and patient safety.

Designed for time-pressured clinical environments, BIFF techniques can be learned quickly and applied in minutes during daily practice, including emails, documentation, and face-to-face interactions. The approach reduces escalation, strengthens trust, and supports clearer communication under stress—key factors in improving patient experience and protecting staff well-being.

Written for a broad professional audience, BIFF for Healthcare is relevant to physicians, nurses, administrators, HR professionals, risk managers, and patient-relations teams. As the fifth volume in the established BIFF Conflict Communication Series, it builds on a model already adopted by organizations worldwide.

Ideal for onboarding, continuing education, and professional development programs, this book offers healthcare organizations a practical tool for safer communication, stronger teams, and more resilient care delivery.

Book Info

Publication date:  Coming January 7, 2027
Pages:
Binding:  Paperback
ISBN (print):  978-1950057528
Authors:  Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. and Ekaterina Ricci, MDR, MLS

Series: Conflict Communication Series

BILL EDDY is a lawyer, therapist, mediator, and the co-founder and Innovation Director of the High Conflict Institute. He was The Senior Family Mediator at the National Conflict Resolution Center for 15 years, a Certified Family Law Specialist lawyer representing clients in family court for 15 years, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker therapist with twelve years of experience. He served on the faculty of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law in California and was a Conjoint Associate Professor with the University of Newcastle Law School in Australia.

He has been a speaker and trainer in over 30 U.S. states and 10 countries, including for several healthcare organizations. He is the author or co-author of twenty-five books, writes a popular blog on the Psychology Today website and co-hosts the podcast, It’s All Your Fault, with Megan Hunter.

Bill co-authored It’s All Your Fault at Work: Managing Narcissists and Other High-Conflict People and New Ways for Work: Personal Skills for Productive Relationships Coaching Manual and Workbook with L. Georgi DiStefano.

EKATERINA RICCI is a dispute resolution expert and legal consultant specializing in cross-border negotiations, international diplomacy, and high-conflict dynamics. She is recognized for her interdisciplinary approach to resolving complex disputes where legal systems, organizational power structures, and cultural identities intersect. Ekaterina has served as a mediator, consultant, and policy advisor in international commercial and institutional disputes, contributing to resolution efforts in legal and multilateral settings. Her work draws on over a decade of experience integrating behavioral science, legal analysis, and narrative strategy to address high-stakes conflicts in courts, international forums, and corporate environments. She holds dual master’s degrees in Dispute Resolution and Legal Studies from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, and a B.S. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA. She completed advanced training in diplomacy and international law through UN programs in Geneva. Ekaterina also teaches and speaks on conflict systems, trauma-informed mediation, and cross-cultural negotiation.