Health literacy and patient safety: help patients understand: manual for clinicians, Volume 1

This US manual discusses the problem of limited health literacy, its consequences for the healthcare system and the likelihood that a clinician's practice includes patients with limited health literacy. The manual provides practical tips and give suggestions to improve interpersonal communication. Table of contents: * Introduction * Health literacy (National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Population groups at risk for limited health literacy. Day-to-day problems associated with limited health literacy. Implications of limited health literacy) * You can't tell by looking (How can I tell if an individual patient has limited health literacy skills? Red flags. The social history. Medication review. Measuring health literacy) * Strategies to enhance your patient's health literacy (Making your practice patient-friendly. Attitude of helpfulness. Scheduling appointments. Office check-in procedures. Referrals and ancillary tests) * Improving interpersonal communication with patients (Communication and malpractice lawsuits. Communication and medical outcomes. Steps to improving communication with patients. Slow down. Use plain, nonmedical language. Show or draw pictures to enhance patients' understanding and recall. Limit the amount of information given at each visit - and repeat it. Use the "teach-back" technique. Create a shame-free environment: Encourage questions. Ask-Me-3) * Creating and using patient-friendly written materials (Written consent forms and patient education handouts. Principles for creating patient-friendly written materials. Depth and detail of the message. Complexity of text. Format. User testing. Nonwritten patient education materials. Graphic illustrations. Audiotapes and compact discs. Videotapes. Computer-assisted education) * Final comments * Case discussions * Useful resources * CME questionnaire * CME answer sheet * References.