One question to assess ...

You know a patient with poor functional health literacy skills could have trouble following the health care plan.  But how can you identify who is at risk?  The patient’s education level does not always reflect literacy skills.  If you ask, “Can you read?” you...

Advice on patient educa...

George Bernard Shaw said, “The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me.  The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.” It appears that George Bernard Shaw’s health care providers...

How do you find time fo...

The most efficient way to provide patient education is to individualize teaching to the needs of the patient, so you’re not wasting time on unnecessary content or inappropriate methods.  The most efficient way to individualize teaching is to begin with a good assessment.  Then...

Study: improved patien...

A study looking at rational for reversal of failed bariatric operations concluded: “The decision to reverse, rather than revise, a problematic bariatric operation is motivated by the perspective that the outcome of revision would also be problematic.  Improved patient education...

Great resource on funct...

How can you best teach patients with poor functional health literacy skills? Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills by Doak, Doak, & Root (1996) was the classic resource.  It went out of print in 2006.  Fortunately, the copyright on the text was returned to Ceci and Len...