Ask Me 3 - National Patient Safety Foundation

Health literacy is now known to be vital to good patient care and positive health outcomes.

1. Answer 3
Along with encouraging your patients to use the Ask Me 3 approach, simple techniques can increase your patients' comfort level with asking questions, as well as compliance with your instructions after they leave appointments.

Create a safe environment where patients feel comfortable talking openly with you
Use plain language instead of technical language or medical jargon
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

2. Learn more about low health literacy
This site has fact sheets on the issue of low health literacy, a white paper detailing the scope and impact of the problem, and communication tools to help you in your practice. Download available materials here

3. Incorporate new knowledge into your practice
Broadening your knowledge of the low health literacy issue and associated concerns will help you to better treat your patients.

Myth: Encouraging my patients to ask more questions will increase the length of their visit. I simply can't afford to spend more time with each patient.

Reality: Fearing lengthy appointments, most doctors allow patients to talk for an average of 22 seconds before taking the lead.

Research shows, however, that if allowed to speak freely, the average patient would initially speak for less than two minutes.

Encouraging questions during the initial visit may require a short-term time investment; however, the long-term payoff may include more accurate compliance, fewer follow-up visits, and shorter, more focused interactions as the patient proceeds through his/her condition.