machealth.ca

Join Group

Resources designed for health professionals to help with attitudinal competencies and communication skills that are essential for the care of older adults.

Health Literacy and Patient Safety: Help Patients Understand - Manual for Clinicians

Communication is essential for the effective delivery of health care, and is one of the most powerful tools in a clinician’s arsenal. Unfortunately, there is often a mismatch between a clinician’s level of communication and a patient’s level of comprehension. In fact, evidence shows that patients often misinterpret or do not understand much of the information given to them by clinicians. This lack of understanding can lead to medication errors, missed appointments, adverse medical outcomes, and even malpractice lawsuits.

This resource reviews the problem of health literacy, its consequences for the health care system, and likelihood that a clinician’s practice includes patients with limited literacy. Practical tips for making office practices more “user friendly” to patients with limited literacy, and suggestions for improving interpersonal communication are provided.

View

Jodie Bousfield

machealth.ca

McMaster Toolkit on Working with Older Adults

Resource Categories

Health Literacy and Patient Safety: Help Patients Understand - Manual for Clinicians