You're a medical professional. How can you help patients understand their own care?

When you explain the diagnosis, use terms they're comfortable with. Identify their level of comfort and understanding by having an honest conversation, then you can explain in a manner that they can most readily understand and accept. Using stories will also help them comprehend the situation as people will remember a story before they remember facts and figures.

While I may understand complex medical terminology, most of my patients do not. Understanding your patient's education level and health literacy is key. Recognizing that many of my patients are visual learners, I frequently bring out paper and pens to make diagrams and sketches to elucidate complex concepts. For instance, I might illustrate how a blood clot forming in the heart can lead to a stroke, emphasizing blood thinner medication adherence, or depict the function of kidneys in filtering blood and the impact of chronic kidney disease. This approach ensures that patients leave the exam room with a clearer understanding of their condition, which I believe improves patient adherence to treatment plans.

One effective approach I've found in helping patients understand their diagnosis is by creating analogies they can relate to. I start by explaining the problem and the diagnosis in simple terms, ensuring clarity and compassion throughout. Then, I introduce an analogy that parallels their condition, making it easier to grasp. Additionally, I provide them with reliable information sources like brochures and websites for further research. Moreover, I teach them how to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai to break down complex information into more digestible chunks, empowering them to better comprehend and manage their care.

One thing I have found to be really helpful to determine where to begin this conversation is to ask the patient first if they can verbalize to you their reason for admission etc and if they can explain their understanding of their condition and/or new diagnosis is to you and then having established my foundation from which to begin- I can begin the education process uniquely tailored to best suit my patient.

As a Board-Certified Patient Advocate & CellCore Biosciences Practitioner, I often bridge the gap between traditional healthcare & foundational medicine. I like to focus on the pros and cons of each decision made. For example, I might say, “Here’s what the medication you’re considering is, what it costs, and the potential side effects. The natural supplement would be this, it could entail fewer side effects but isn’t covered by your insurance, may cost more, and might require a consultation with an integrative doctor because traditional doctors are not trained in natural medicine. This approach identifies both sides of the fence and empowers patients to make informed decisions tailored to their unique needs and preferences.

As a Patient Navigator in the Oncology field I worked closely with my patients to assess their perceived needs as they moved through diagnosis and treatment. We worked together to access and coordinate their care based upon those identified needs and facilitated communication with their medical providers to insure holistic, comprehensive and coordinated care.

You'll need to understand the patient's full background before you can begin engaging in education. You must know their background, innate biases, beliefs, and past problems in addressing their healthcare challenges. Once you understand who they are and their needs, you can only effectively educate them at a level the patient will understand. Based on research, the more chronic the condition, the lower the health literacy rate. You must make sure that there is not just teaching but learning that takes place on the patient's part if we are going to move the needle in the patient community.

One thing I have found helpful is to use an asset based approach and coaching online to reverse prediabetes and obesity using a bio psychosocial approach and positive mindset training

One thing that is critical is making sure your department or office's materials are not only in a language that they can understand, but also using language that they can understand. Health information given to patients should not use overly complicated language that only healthcare practitioners can read. Simplify discharge instructions and patient education content.

A lot that patients do not know, and they rely on unreliable and biased sources, for example, social media or erroneous fitness advice. Take the time to provide good reliable information based on evidence based practice. Make sure they can read before offering written materials. Take the time to understand what they know before teaching them to avoid educating on what they already know. Do readbacks where necessary. Allow for autonomy. Patients will not accept everything you say. Start from where they are. Move them to their health goal one step at a time if resistant. Reapproach in cases of ingrained habits. At the end of the day, our goal is to have healthier patient.

Make sure to explain things in a way that is straightforward. Explain all medical lingo. Ask the patient if they have questions or concerns and then address those as well.

Educating a patient comes after making space and safety for them to engage in their care. For example, to learn about a new diagnosis, people must feel like medical professionals will accommodate their imperfect engagement. If they feel like they will be received and treated respectfully, they will ask questions or communicate to the best of their ability.