Visiting Your Doctor
Plan ahead: Resources to help you get
the most out of your doctor visit
A study published in the May 2003 issue of the Journal of
the Royal Society of Medicine indicates that most patients
forget as much as 80 percent of what they've been told after
visiting their physician. Furthermore, nearly half the information
they do claim to remember, they remember incorrectly, the
study shows.
Physicians find this information particularly worrisome
as market conditions continue to necessitate briefer patient
visits, shorter hospital stays and more outpatient care.
As physicians try to deliver quality care under the pressure
of shorter visits, it's crucial that patients retain the
information when being told their treatment options.
Among the reasons the study lists:
- Old age and stress
- Patient preconceptions - new information is easier
to absorb than information that challenges existing ideas.
- Structure/importance - patients are more likely
to remember the first statements they hear, and are able
to recall specific information better than general information.
- Verbal vs. written communication - the more verbal
information given by a physician, the less the patient
will remember. When given the information in the form
of pictographs, patients are shown to remember more.
In recognition of this serious problem, several medical
organizations have come together to launch an online service
for patients and physicians that offers practical solutions
to improve physician-patient communications. The site (www.AskMe3.org),
developed by the Partnership for Clear Health Communication,
whose members include the American Medical Association and
the American Public Health Association, recommends that
patients focus on three questions for their doctors:
"What is my main problem,"
"What do I need to do"
"Why is it important to do this?"
The site also offers a checklist that each patient should
review before visiting their physician. To find out more,
visit the site at www.AskMe3.org.
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