Featured Article Validating the Health Communication Assessment Tool Ó (HCAT) Michael P. Pagano, PhD, PA-C a, * , Eileen R. O’Shea, DNP, APRN, CHPPN b , Suzanne Hetzel Campbell, PhD, RN, IBCLC, WHNP c , Leanne M. Currie, PhD, RN d , Elizabeth Chamberlin, PhD e , Christopher A. Pates, BA f a Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, Department of Communication, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06824, USA b Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06824, USA c Director and Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada d Associate Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada e Research Coordinator, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada f Department of Communication, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06824, USA KEYWORDS patient simulation; health communication; interpersonal communication; communication assessment; health care pedagogy; providerepatient communication; Health Communication Assessment Tool Ó Abstract Background: Clinical simulations provide an opportunity to assess students’ patient-centered commu- nication. The purpose of this study was to further validate the Health Communication Assessment Tool Ó (HCAT) with international and interprofessional health care educators. Methods: A total of 218 educators watched an online video of a simulation and assessed a student’s communication behaviors using the HCAT. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed a five-factor model. The average intraclass correlation of these factors was high (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] ¼ 0.99), whereas the single-measure consistency ICC was moderate (ICC ¼ 0.41). Conclusions: Analysis of the HCAT using interprofessional, international simulation educators pro- vided further evidence of the instrument’s reliability and validity. Cite this article: Pagano, M. P., O’Shea, E. R., Campbell, S. H., Currie, L. M., Chamberlin, E., & Pates, C. A. (2015, September). Validating the health communication assessment tool Ó (HCAT). Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 11(9), 402-410. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2015.06.001. Ó 2015 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Patient simulation pedagogy has become an important tool for health care provider education worldwide (Murdoch, Bottorff, & McCullough, 2013; Starkweather & Kardong- Edgren, 2008). During its development and early applications, patient simulation focused almost exclusively on teaching health care students and professionals clinical behaviors in a safe environment (Blum, Borglund, & Parcells, 2010). Howev- er, with increased usage across professions, it has become obvious that providerepatient communication skills and Clinical Simulation in Nursing (2015) 11, 402-410 www.elsevier.com/locate/ecsn * Corresponding author: mpagano@fairfield.edu (M. P. Pagano). 1876-1399/$ - see front matter Ó 2015 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2015.06.001