When patients become more actively involved in their own health, there’s a much stronger likelihood their health outcomes will be better.
That’s why “Questions are the Answer,” a new public education initiative from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), encourages patients to have more effective two-way communication with their doctors and other clinicians.
https://www.ahrq.gov/patients-consumers/patient-involvement/ask-your-doctor/index.html
“Questions are the Answer” features the https://www.ahrq.gov/ website where you will find these free educational tools to use with your patients:
- A 7-minute video[link no longer available] featuring real-life patients and clinicians who give firsthand accounts on the importance of asking questions and sharing information – this tool is ideal for a patient waiting room area and can be set to run on a continuous loop.
- A brochure, titled “Be More Involved in Your Health Care: Tips for Patients,” that offers helpful suggestions to follow before, during and after a medical visit. [TCV Update 11/30/2020: The URL no longer links to the brochure.]
- Notepads to help patients prioritize the top three questions they wish to ask during their medical appointment.
Clinicians can request a free supply of these materials by calling AHRQ at 1-800-358-9295 or sending an email to AHRQpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.
