Patient education

Patient education is the process by which health professionals and others impart information to patients that will alter their health behaviors or improve their health status.[1] Education providers may include: physicians, pharmacists, registered dietitians, nurses, hospital discharge planners, medical social workers, psychologists, disease or disability advocacy groups, special interest groups, and pharmaceutical companies.

Health education is also a tool used by managed care plans, and may include both general preventive education or health promotion and disease or condition specific education.^[1]

Important elements of patient education are skill building and responsibility: patients need to know when, how, and why they need to make a lifestyle change. Group effort is equally important: each member of the patient’s health care team needs to be involved.

The value of patient education can be summarised as follows:

• Improved understanding of medical condition, diagnosis, disease, or disability
• Improved understanding of methods and means to manage multiple aspects of medical condition.
• Improved self advocacy in deciding to act both independently from medical providers and in interdependence with them.
• Increased Compliance – Effective communication and patient education increases patient motivation to comply.
• Patient Outcomes – Patients more likely to respond well to their treatment plan – fewer complications.
• Informed Consent – Patients feel you’ve provided the information they need.
• Utilization – More effective use of medical services – fewer unnecessary phone calls and visits.
• Satisfaction and referrals – Patients more likely to stay with your practice and refer other patients.^[2]
• Risk Management - Lower risk of malpractice when patients have realistic expectations.^[3]

References

1. Doak, C. C., Doak, L. G., & Root, J. H. (1996). Teaching patients with low literacy skills http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/doak.html
2. London, F. (2009). No Time To Teach: The Essence of Patient and Family Education for Health Care Providers. Atlanta: Pritchett & Hull
3. Rankin, S. H., Stallings, K. D., & London, F. (2005). Patient Education in Health and Illness (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

See also

• Compliance (medicine)
• Managed care
• Green prescription
• Medical writing
• Orem model of nursing
• List of patient education software