Health literacy strategies in AHRQ’s new primary care guide to patient and family engagement

Health literacy strategies in AHRQ’s new primary care guide to patient and family engagement



Primary Care Patient Engagement Strategies Feature Health Literacy

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by Engaging Patients and Families consists of four strategies that use health literacy techniques.

• Teach-Back – lets health care providers confirm that they have explained information clearly so that patients and their families understand.
• Be Prepared To Be Engaged – helps patients be ready for their medical appointments, to speak up, to ask questions, and to take notes.
• Medication Management – engages patients in a brown bag medicine review to help them take their medicines correctly and safely.
• Warm Handoff – informs the health care team how to share information in front of patients and families so they can be part of the conversation and correct misinformation.

Each strategy includes materials for patients and families and an implementation guide and tools for clinicians and practice staff. The guide also features a teach-back online interactive learning module, instructional videos, and recorded webinars.

You can access these strategies from the Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by Engaging Patients and Families at https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/patient-family-engagement/pfeprimarycare/interventions/index.html

Find other AHRQ health literacy resources at https://www.ahrq.gov/topics/health-literacy.html.