If you want your patients to stay committed to their treatment plan and achieve the best possible results, you need to make sure that they are engaged through education. In this article, we will talk about how providing educational material can help clients understand what a treatment plan entails, the different kinds of educational materials you can put together, and how you can use them.
Why Is Increasing Patient Engagement Important?
Patient engagement refers to the extent to which your patients are actively involved in their own healthcare. This includes things like understanding their treatment plans, taking their medications as prescribed, following recommended lifestyle changes, and participating in their care planning. Patient engagement is beneficial for everyone involved in the provision of care.
For The Patient
Patient engagement is closely related to the ethical principle of autonomy—which is the belief that individuals have the right to make decisions about their own healthcare and to determine their own course of treatment—and the concept of patient-centered care. When patients are active participants in their treatment, they are more likely to have a greater sense of control over their own health and well-being.
Involving patients and their families in the decision-making process can help to ensure that their preferences and cultural beliefs are taken into account when determining their management. By providing care that is more personalized and meets the specific needs and values of the patient and their family, they are more likely to feel respected and valued, which can help improve their satisfaction with their care.
For The Healthcare Providers
When patients feel like they are actively involved in their healthcare, they become more comfortable communicating with you, and they may thus be more likely to ask questions and provide important information. This will enable you to acquire a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's medical history, current health status, and any specific needs or concerns they may have, all of which can inform treatment decisions.
Patients may also be more likely to open up to you about any potential barriers or challenges that they may face in adhering to their treatment plan or observing lifestyle changes. By identifying these issues early on, you will be able to work with patients to develop strategies to overcome these challenges and ensure that the care provided is as effective as possible.
For The Healthcare System
When clinic patients are more intuned with their own care, they may be less likely to need unnecessary tests or procedures, which can help reduce healthcare costs. This can help decrease the burden on the healthcare system by potentially lessening the need for additional healthcare services or hospitalizations.
How Can Educational Materials Increase Patient Engagement?
Patient education materials are materials that can be provided to patients to help them better understand their health conditions and treatment options. These materials can include print materials, online resources, or interactive tools. They can help increase patients' engagement with their treatment plan in a variety of ways.
Promoting Health Literacy
Health literacy refers to an individual's ability to access, understand, and use health information and services in order to make appropriate health decisions. Educational materials that are clearly written, visually appealing, and easy to understand break down relevant information in a more simplified manner, which facilitates easier comprehension and better retention. These increase health literacy and, consequently, patient engagement.
Individuals with high health literacy are more likely to have better health outcomes and are more likely to be able to effectively manage their own health. They are also more likely to be able to navigate the healthcare system, have a say during the decision-making process of their treatment plan, and understand and follow the created plans.
Improving The Accessibility of Information
Patient education materials that are available in a variety of formats, written clearly in multiple languages, and available in large print or audio formats improve patients’ involvement in care because the health information is provided in a way that is convenient and suitable for them. This makes it easier for them to manage their expectations at each point of care.
Ensuring Continuity of Care
Patient education materials can improve continuity of care by providing patients with information about their health and treatment options that they can refer to at any time. This can be especially useful for patients with chronic health conditions who may need to manage their health over the long term or for patients who need to see many healthcare providers for varying conditions, as these materials can serve as a reference for what has already been accomplished with regards to their treatment and whatever else needs to be done.
What Are The Different Kinds of Educational Materials?
We have established that there are many kinds of educational materials that you can create to cater to your patients’ needs. Let us now look at what these kinds are and what their benefits and drawbacks are.
Print Materials
Print materials can include brochures, handouts, posters, and other materials that can be physically distributed to patients.
Print materials are physically available, easy to use, and can be easily distributed to patients in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, clinics, or community centers. Brochures and handouts, in particular, are customizable, as you can write on them during consultations to highlight and add information that may be specific to a patient.
However, they have limited reach, as patients can only see or get a hold of these printed materials when they come into physical contact with them. They may also become outdated quickly, especially in the rapidly changing field of healthcare.
Online Resources
Online resources can include websites, videos, podcasts, and other materials that are available on the internet.
Online resources can reach a large number of patients, regardless of their location, for as long as they have a device and an internet connection. They’re a good option for patients who have limited physical mobility and may not be able to access physical materials. These materials can be easily updated to ensure that patients have access to the most current information.
The "online" nature of these materials is also, sadly, its greatest detriment. These materials may not be accessible to patients who do not have access to the internet or who have limited internet literacy. As such, they may not be the best option for patients in low-resource settings.
Interactive Tools
Interactive tools can be engaging and can use games, quizzes, and other interactive features to help educate and motivate patients.
Like online resources, interactive tools can be accessed by patients with a variety of devices, such as computers, smartphones, or tablets. Some downloadable tools do not require an internet connection to function and can therefore be used remotely.
Interactive tools can be more expensive to develop and maintain than other patient education tools. Some downloadable tools may need an internet connection in order to remain up-to-date with the latest findings. Some people may also find them too difficult to use or navigate.
How Can You Use Educational Materials?
There are several strategies that you can employ to effectively incorporate patient education materials into consultations.
To Introduce the Topic
You can use the patient education materials as an icebreaker at the beginning of the consultation to engage the patient and set the tone for the conversation. Give your patient an overview of the materials and highlight the key points that will be discussed during the consultation. You can also use the materials to set expectations for the consultation and clarify any goals or objectives. This can help provide patients with a foundation of knowledge and make it easier for them to understand and participate in the consultation.
To Supplement the Conversation
You can use the patient education materials to provide examples or additional information that can illustrate the point or concept being discussed or to clarify points that may be confusing to the patient. At the end of the consultation, use the materials to reinforce key points or summarize the main points of the conversation, after which you may opt to use the teach-back method to evaluate the patient’s understanding.
To Encourage Patient Participation
Patient education materials can be used to encourage patient participation during a consultation. For example, physicians can ask patients to review the materials and come prepared with their questions or concerns. This can help to ensure that patients have a better understanding of the information and can help facilitate a more productive consultation.
Conclusion
Patient education materials can help patients better understand their health and treatment options, feel more involved in their own care, and improve communication with healthcare providers. By providing your patients with educational materials, you can increase patient involvement in care and help to ensure that they receive the best possible care for their unique condition.
Patient education materials can be provided in a variety of formats to ensure that they are accessible and convenient for patients. Which format to use will depend on the specific needs and preferences of your patient, as well as the type of information being presented and their available resources. You can use these materials to introduce the topic of your consultation, supplement your conversation, and encourage their participation.
