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Keep patients safe with three questions

HCPro's Weekly Update on the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®*, May 13, 2008

The Partnership for Clear Health Communication (PCHC) estimates that 90 million people in the United States have problems reading and understanding healthcare information related to their needs. To improve patients’ healthcare literacy, PCHC developed a program that provides educational materials in English and Spanish called Ask Me 3. The program involves coaching patients to ask their healthcare providers three questions that will help them understand more about their health:

1. What is my main problem?
2. What do I need to do?
3. Why is it important for me to do this?

Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, IL—an ANCC Magnet Recognition Program® recipient in 2005—recently conducted a study with the program and will soon be implementing it hospitalwide due to the successful results. The cardiovascular unit tested the Ask Me 3 program and found it increased patients’ understanding of cardiovascular educational materials and decreased their chance of readmission. According to Lorraine Hanson, RN, MSN, care manager on the neurological unit, the Ask Me 3 program is the best tool to equip patients to ask the questions they need to ask, whether they have a sore throat or a more serious medical problem.

Source: Nurse.com

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