Tips and Tools

What you, the provider, can do:

• Create a safe environment where patients feel comfortable talking openly with you.
• Be an active listener. Encourage patients to share information they feel is necessary for their visit. Pose open-ended questions. Instead of asking, “Do you have any questions?” ask the patient, “What questions do you have for me?”
• Get feedback from the patient.
• Have the patient ask you three questions: “What is my main problem?” “What do I need to do about it?” “Why is it important for me to do this?”
• Make sure all printed and graphic communications are easy for patients to read and understand. Avoid acronyms such as “CVA” for “stroke.”
• Sit down (instead of standing) to achieve eye level with your patient.
• Use visual models to illustrate a procedure or condition.
• Ask patients to “teach back” the care instructions you give to them.
• Follow up with patients to make sure they have understood instructions.
• Remember that you may have some patients who cannot read and as a result will not understand written comments or instructions.

What you, the provider, should not do:

• Make assumptions about the patient’s health literacy based on factors such as age, race, ethnicity or level of education.
• Treat patients in a condescending or patronizing manner. Remember to protect everyone’s dignity.
• Use medical or technical jargon instead of plain, direct, “living room” language.
• Write prescriptions that are unreadable.
• Discourage patients from bringing a friend or relative to an appointment for support.
• Design Web pages that are hard for patients to navigate.