Health literacy is the single most important predictor of a patient’s health outcome, said Dr. Eloy. He likened health literacy to changing the oil in your car. “A mechanic can tell you what they can do, but you don’t know what is best for the car,” he said. “You may not understand what they are saying, even if you are an educated person. Health literacy is compounded by making life and death decisions about one’s health.”
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September 2012It may not be as easy as learning how to change the oil in one’s car, but incorporating methods to improve health communications helps improve patient compliance, which ultimately leads to healthier patients.
Ask-Me-3
Many studies show that when health literacy-friendly approaches are used in practices, patients are more likely to take their medications correctly and that, for some conditions, the number of emergency room visits is reduced, said Dr. Weiss.
He advises doctors to keep communication simple. “Stop giving patients so much information and complicated explanations,” he said. People will tend to remember two or three key points, even if presented with more detail. “Prioritize what are the most important things they need to know.”
Dr. Weiss recommended the “Ask-Me-3” program from the National Patient Safety Foundation as a good model for gauging patient understanding. When a patient leaves the doctor’s office, she should be able to answer the following questions:
- What is the name of the problem I’m being treated for?
- What do I need to do about it?
- Why is it important for me to do this?
For more information on the “Ask-Me-3” program, visit npsf.org.—CA