Implementation Quick Start Guide Be Prepared To Be Engaged
The Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by Engaging Patients and Families
Contents
What Is the Be Prepared To Be Engaged Strategy?
Why Use the Be Prepared To Be Engaged Strategy?
Tools for Be Prepared To Be Engaged
Resources Needed To Implement Be Prepared To Be Engaged
Implementing the Be Prepared Strategy
Step 1. Obtain leadership buy-in, and identify a champion
Step 2. Develop a process for engaging patients and families using the Be Prepared tools
Patient Prep Card
Patient Note Sheet
Step 3. Make all team members aware of the Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy and tools
Step 4. Make patients and families aware of the Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy and tools
Step 5. Evaluate and refine your process
References
What Is the Be Prepared To Be Engaged Strategy?
The Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy is an effort to help patients and their families prepare for and become more fully engaged in their medical appointments. Several tools are available to patients and families as part of the strategy. The goal is to help them join their own health care team—to be ready for the appointment, to speak up, to ask questions, to take notes. Tools are also available for clinicians and practice staff to help them encourage and reinforce patient preparation and engagement.
Why Use the Be Prepared To Be Engaged Strategy?
Patients often arrive at a primary care visit unprepared to discuss their current symptoms, their medical history, their medications, and their questions. In addition, time is limited in a primary care visit. Lack of preparation and limited time can lead to an inadequate exchange of information between the patient and clinician. Communication breakdowns between the patient and the clinician or the patient and the practice staff can result in medical error.
When patients and their families are well prepared for primary care visits, the visit time is used more effectively. Patients and families are more engaged in their care, they are better able to communicate their questions and concerns, and they are more likely to leave the visit with an understanding of their diagnosis and care plan, all of which can improve patient safety.1-4
Tools for Be Prepared To Be Engaged
The Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy includes tools for patients and families, clinicians, and practice staff.
Uses | Description and format | |
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For Patients and Families | ||
Patient Prep Card |
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Patient Note Sheet | Encourage patients or family members to take notes during the appointment. |
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Be Prepared To Be Engaged! | Inform patients and families about tools available to help them be prepared and engaged. |
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For Clinicians | ||
Be Prepared To Be Engaged—A Guide for Clinicians | Inform clinicians about tools available to help patients and families be prepared and engaged. |
|
For Practice Staff | ||
Be Prepared To Be Engaged—A Guide for Staff | Inform practice staff about tools available to help patients and families be prepared and engaged. |
|
Resources Needed To Implement Be Prepared To Be Engaged
Resources needed for Be Prepared To Be Engaged are modest.
- Staffing. No additional staff are needed to implement the Be Prepared strategy.
- Costs. Costs are minimal and include printing the materials and having a sufficient supply of pens for patients and families to use.
- Time. The Be Prepared tools are intended to make appointments more efficient and should not be an additional time burden.
Implementing the Be Prepared Strategy
Specific implementation of the Be Prepared strategy will depend on individual characteristics of your practice. The following steps are recommended.
Step 1. Obtain leadership buy-in, and identify a champion.
Strong leadership and staff engagement are important to successful implementation. Identification of a champion within your practice can help guide you in implementing and refining the Be Prepared strategy in your practice.
Step 2. Develop a process for engaging patients and families using the Be Prepared tools.
Collaborate with the clinicians and staff within your practice to develop a process to best use the Patient Prep Card and Patient Note Sheet. A recommended process includes the steps below.
- Mail the Patient Prep Card to patients before their appointment and ask them to fill in the card and bring it with them. Alternatively, you can give the Patient Prep Card to patients as they leave their current appointment and ask them to write down their questions as they occur and then bring the card with them to their next appointment. You can advise patients that if they develop a long list of questions, they should consider calling the office or perhaps scheduling a sooner appointment.
- If you use a reminder system such as telephone, email, or text message, include a request in the reminder that they fill in the card and bring it with them.
- Keep a supply of blank cards at the registration desk and in the exam rooms.
- When patients arrive for appointments, ask them at the registration desk if they have filled in a Patient Prep Card. If they haven't, offer them a card and a pen and encourage them to fill in the card while they are in the waiting room before they see their clinician.
- When patients are brought back to the exam room, check again if they have filled in a card.
- In either the waiting room or the exam room, if the patient's card remains blank, offer to help the patient fill it in. For patients who are resistant, explain that the card can help them focus their time with the clinician and ensure they do not forget anything.
- During the appointment, the clinician can use the card to engage the patient and family and ensure that their questions, concerns, and goals have been addressed.
- Keep a clipboard and a supply of Patient Note Sheets and pens in the exam rooms.
- During the appointment, the clinician can offer patients or family members a note sheet and encourage them to write down things they want to remember. The clinician should be clear that the note sheet is for the benefit of the patient and family and is completely optional.
Step 3. Make all team members aware of the Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy and tools.
Spread the word. Inform all team members about your processes, and make sure they are familiar with the tools and their roles in supporting patient and family engagement.
Step 4. Make patients and families aware of the Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy and tools.
A patient fact sheet is provided to help you inform your patients and their families about being prepared. Make the patient fact sheet easily accessible throughout the practice. It may be printed and distributed to patients and families and/or displayed strategically in the office. Talk with patients about the importance of being prepared and answer any questions your patients and families have.
Step 5. Evaluate and refine your process.
Observe whether patients or family members are filling in the Patient Prep Cards and whether clinicians are using the cards during appointments. Observe whether patients or family members are using the Patient Note Sheets. Refine your implementation process as needed. It may require increased effort from clinicians or practice staff to engage patients and families.
References
1. Lucchiari C, Pravettoni G. The role of patient involvement in the diagnostic process in internal medicine: a cognitive approach. Eur J Intern Med 2013;24(5):411-5.
2. Litchfield IJ, Bentham LM, Lilford RJ, et al. Patient perspectives on test result communication in primary care: a qualitative study. Br J Gen Pract 2015;65(632):e133-40.
3. Elder NC, Regan SL, Pallerla H, et al. Educating seniors to be patient safety self-advocates in primary care. J Patient Saf 2008;4(2):106-12.
4. Singh H. Safe and effective communication to prevent diagnostic errors. Middleton, MA: Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare; 2013.
Implementation Notes
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