| How do you know?
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| | talking to them. Look them in the eye.
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| A recent USA Today article states that
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| | Don't talk while you are jotting notes in
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| miscommunications between patients and
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| | their charts or writing a prescription.
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| health care providers are increasing the
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| | Do they have a blank look on their face?
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| chances that people who need medical care
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| | Are they nodding their head that they
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| will be hurt or killed in the process.
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| | understand you? Are they asking
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| The article sites a report done by the
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| | questions?
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| Joint Commission Healthcare Accreditation
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| | * Offer written hand-outs that are
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| Group which states that cultural and
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| | written in an easy to read format. Copies
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| language barriers pose problems for
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| | of articles from your medical journals do
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| patient-doctor communications, as well as
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| | not count. Copies of instructions from
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| poor general literacy skills.
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| | equipment manufacturers are not enough.
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| The group's recommendations include
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| | (Yes, I have seen docs use both of these
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| specific advice for educating and
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| | to educate patients). Hand-outs need to
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| training healthcare professionals; using
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| | be written to a fourth or fifth grade
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| well-trained medical interpreters for
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| | reading level whenever possible.
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| patients with English comprehension
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| | ---I suggest making generic hand-outs for
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| difficulties; and encouraging a culture
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| | some of the most common diagnosis you
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| of easy-to-understand communication in
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| | make. In other instances you may need to
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| all facets of medical care.
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| | write down basic information during the
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| Dennis O'Leary, president of the group,
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| | appointment - type them out if you can or
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| says that when he was in medical school
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| | have someone in your office do it. You
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| no one even mentioned that someone might
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| | know why...your handwriting is illegible.
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| not understand what he was saying. "Yet,
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| | * Ask questions to check for basic
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| more serious adverse events are caused by
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| | understanding throughout visits.
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| communication problems than any other
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| | * Offer places or web sites where
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| thing."
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| | patients can go to get more information.
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| Why am I writing about this??? It's not
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| | Giving this information to them in a
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| because of my passion for communication,
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| | hand-out, or having someone else in your
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| and it is not because (as a health care
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| | office email them the information after
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| copywriter) ensuring communications are
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| | the appointment works well too. It also
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| easy to understand and written to the
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| | ensures that any research they do on
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| appropriate audience is a core part of
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| | their own is coming from reliable sources
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| what I do.
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| | and not just fanatic people out there on
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| It's because ensuring patients understand
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| | the Internet.
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| what their problems are, understanding
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| | Take a few minutes this week and simply
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| what treatments you recommend, and
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| | look at the written material you give to
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| understanding what courses of action are
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| | patients. Whether you provide it when
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| available is an important aspect of your
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| | they first visit your office, or
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| job.
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| | educational materials you send home with
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| And how do you really know if people
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| | them throughout their treatment. Can your
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| understand what you are saying to them?
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| | middle schooler understand it?
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| There are a few steps you can take to
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| | If not, get back to the drawing board.
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| ensure patients understand what you are
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| | Making sure your patients understand you
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| telling them.
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| | is key to both your success and good
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| * Look at the patient when you are
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| | health.
|
