Communication intermediaries

What is the value of communication intermediaries in medicine? We spend a lot of time talking about how important communication skills are, but when do we select for technical skills first? communication skills first? What would it look like to select for both? 

I imagine that we want our neurosurgeons to be technically amazing--and we would prioritize this over their communication skills. There might be a place for a communication intermediary to work with these surgeons, to interface both with the surgeon and the patient, and ensure that both the technical aspects of care and the patient experience were exemplary.