Healthcare experts at the second annual Missouri Health Literacy Summit agreed patient literacy and physician-patient communication are critical in achieving positive outcomes and population health, according to a Columbia Daily Tribune report.
Patient-centered healthcare, a cornerstone of the new healthcare reform law, means physicians and other healthcare providers must provide more "user-friendly" care. Medical jargon may confuse and overwhelm patients, causing them to misunderstand prevention and treatment instructions and experience adverse outcomes.
The teach back method, where physicians ask patients to re-call or repeat the instructions they were just told, is one strategy to ensure patients understand how to keep themselves healthy.
Joint Commission Proposes New Accreditation Requirements to Improve Communication
Patient-centered healthcare, a cornerstone of the new healthcare reform law, means physicians and other healthcare providers must provide more "user-friendly" care. Medical jargon may confuse and overwhelm patients, causing them to misunderstand prevention and treatment instructions and experience adverse outcomes.
The teach back method, where physicians ask patients to re-call or repeat the instructions they were just told, is one strategy to ensure patients understand how to keep themselves healthy.
Related Articles on Patient Literacy:
Parents' English Proficiency Linked to Length of Hospital Stay for Pediatric PatientsJoint Commission Proposes New Accreditation Requirements to Improve Communication