- Email: [email protected]
Consumer health information
Another resource that helps ensure that communication is clear is the use of a receptionist as the first person who sees the patient. Receptionists can help patients who are confused, fearful, or uncertain and assist in completing forms. They can also arrange for interpreters if necessary. Patients could see the receptionist at the end of the visit as well to ensure they understand any self-care instructions they have been given. To effectively carry out these health literacy measures, providers should receive training in this area. This would include how to collect assessment data, when and how to use interpreters, and how to effectively engage in cross-cultural communication. Discussion.—Health care providers need to use their complete arsenal of methods to ensure that clinicianpatient communication is clear and effective. It is important to evaluate the patient’s ability to understand health information and use it correctly. The way this assessment is carried out must ensure that the patient is treated with sensitivity and made comfortable at all times.
Clinical Significance.—Whether a medical or a dental care provider is involved, it is important that interactions with diverse patients are effective. This requires learning about the patient’s health literacy, culture, and language, then using that information to communicate clearly. Much still needs to be learned about the scope of literacy, culture, and language challenges that patients may face as well as the best ways of managing them. However, it is clear that patients must understand before they can follow health care instructions.
Barrow S-YL: Health literacy: why is it important? Access 26:20-22, January 2012 Reprints not available
Consumer health information Background.—Millions of people use the Internet, television, and news outlets as a resource for health information. About 25% of the information consists of testimonials, about 13% of the time persons are seeking to connect with others who have the similar health conditions, and about 12% of what is available ranks qualities of health care providers and medical facilities. Health care providers remain most people’s primary source for health information, but patients are no longer restricted to this mode of information delivery and often use other sources. The potential of the Internet to promulgate health and oral health information and improve communication between patients and providers was outlined. Sources of Information.—Health information available through the lay media is often not authored by oral health professionals and is not subject to governmental or professional ethical regulations. As a result, some information may be erroneous and potentially lead to questionable care. In addition, when credible but complex health information is presented it is important that it is accurately portrayed and analyzed within the proper context. Health news reporters who prepare stories on research just before it is published are often asked to hold the information to ensure that it is presented accurately to the public. Patients may bring information to the dentist or dental hygienist that
they have heard in the lay media or via Internet. In addition, dental professionals can also find newly emerging information and need time to analyze and verify it before applying it in practice. Patients also use Web-based health informatics tools to help them make informed choices about treatment and to research conditions and treatment alternatives. Seventy percent of US consumers surveyed believed that the Internet empowers them to make better choices in their lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website offers downloadable fact sheets on various diseases and conditions, milestone checklists, posters, materials in various languages, and other resources. Sites such as these have altered the traditional provider-controlled dissemination of scientific information regarding health. Many health care providers are skeptical of the accuracy and quality of Internet-based information, and some of that skepticism is warranted. Only about 39% of professionals surveyed found the Internet was a valuable health information source for consumers. Little research has been done on the effects of using Internet- and media-based health information on the patient-provider communication, on cost containment issues, and on patient outcomes. There is, however, evidence
Volume 58
Issue 3
2013
125
Table 1.—Credible Websites for Consumers of Oral Health Information www.cochranecollaborative.com
www.perio.org www.adha.org www.ada.org www.nih.gov www.cdc.org
Patient link section directs consumers to information on what Cochrane reviews say, find out about evidence-based health care, learn about the Cochrane Collaborative and become involved as a patient or consumer. This site provides a variety of links for the public and media, including tools to access individuals’ risk for gum disease and treatment options. Oral health information section links to many fact sheets on varying oral health topics. Public resources section provides links to find a provider, browse by oral health topic, and help consumers manage their oral health. This site provides links to browse or search an extensive list of consumer health topics. This site offers extensive multimedia delivery of health and safety topics including healthy living, work-place safety and health, environmental health, podcasts and electronic health e-mail greetings.
Numerous corporate web resources are also available that require careful review and selection by providers. (Courtesy of Bray KK: Assisting our informed patients’ use of consumer health information and technology to improve their oral health. Access 26:12-14, January 2012.)
to support that the levels of acceptance and satisfaction among patients concerning the use of these tools to help in making health decisions is growing. Using Information with Patients.—The public’s ability to access information and to participate actively in making health decisions means the dental practitioner needs to accommodate this partnership. Providers must relinquish the expert authoritarian unidirectional model of interacting with patients and participate in a two-way exchange to benefit the patient. The evidence-based approach to decision making used by providers to avoid bias allows them to come alongside patients and help them evaluate the information on its merits. Health care providers must not only expect but also encourage patients to gather and share information rather than see this as a competitive situation. However, patients need to be reminded that media-based health information often focuses simply on what is new. The health care provider can help them determine if new findings are corroborated by other studies and worthwhile considering when making health care decisions. The Internet in particular allows an unregulated flow of information, much of which is not credible. The health care provider and patient need to forge a partnership to assess the accuracy of information. Providers can refer patients to websites with credible oral health information (Table 1). Oral health practitioners should also focus on the patient’s individual oral health needs. Patient-centered communication strategies use open-ended questions and reflective listening techniques to share the decisionmaking process. It is important to accept this two-way sharing of information and to not be intimidated or challenged by patients bringing in information. Suggested Actions.—Suggestions for health care professionals to better manage patients who seek health information from lay media include the following:
126
Dental Abstracts
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
Maintain a positive attitude when patients share information from the Internet. Warn patients that the quality and reliability of material from the Internet are often compromised and encourage them to look for information from more than one site. Develop a strategy for handling Internet information before patients bring it in. Affirm consumer contributions as valuable. Accept that some of the information may be both relevant and valid and that sometimes patients will bring in information you did not know.
Clinical Significance.—It is important to keep the lines of communication between provider and patient open at all times. Patients need to feel that it is safe to discuss things with their health care provider, that he or she will help them review the accuracy and applicability of the information for them in particular, and that they can then make the best health care decisions. Besides being careful to follow the suggestions offered, it is equally important that providers not act dismissive or paternalistic toward patients, that they avoid denigrating comments made by others on the Internet, that they not refuse to accept Internet information, and that they not feel threatened by the interaction.
Bray KK: Assisting our informed patients’ use of consumer health information and technology to improve their oral health. Access 26:12-14, January 2012 Reprints not available
Clinical Significance.—Whether a medical or a dental care provider is involved, it is important that interactions with diverse patients are effective. This requires learning about the patient’s health literacy, culture, and language, then using that information to communicate clearly. Much still needs to be learned about the scope of literacy, culture, and language challenges that patients may face as well as the best ways of managing them. However, it is clear that patients must understand before they can follow health care instructions.
Barrow S-YL: Health literacy: why is it important? Access 26:20-22, January 2012 Reprints not available
Consumer health information Background.—Millions of people use the Internet, television, and news outlets as a resource for health information. About 25% of the information consists of testimonials, about 13% of the time persons are seeking to connect with others who have the similar health conditions, and about 12% of what is available ranks qualities of health care providers and medical facilities. Health care providers remain most people’s primary source for health information, but patients are no longer restricted to this mode of information delivery and often use other sources. The potential of the Internet to promulgate health and oral health information and improve communication between patients and providers was outlined. Sources of Information.—Health information available through the lay media is often not authored by oral health professionals and is not subject to governmental or professional ethical regulations. As a result, some information may be erroneous and potentially lead to questionable care. In addition, when credible but complex health information is presented it is important that it is accurately portrayed and analyzed within the proper context. Health news reporters who prepare stories on research just before it is published are often asked to hold the information to ensure that it is presented accurately to the public. Patients may bring information to the dentist or dental hygienist that
they have heard in the lay media or via Internet. In addition, dental professionals can also find newly emerging information and need time to analyze and verify it before applying it in practice. Patients also use Web-based health informatics tools to help them make informed choices about treatment and to research conditions and treatment alternatives. Seventy percent of US consumers surveyed believed that the Internet empowers them to make better choices in their lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website offers downloadable fact sheets on various diseases and conditions, milestone checklists, posters, materials in various languages, and other resources. Sites such as these have altered the traditional provider-controlled dissemination of scientific information regarding health. Many health care providers are skeptical of the accuracy and quality of Internet-based information, and some of that skepticism is warranted. Only about 39% of professionals surveyed found the Internet was a valuable health information source for consumers. Little research has been done on the effects of using Internet- and media-based health information on the patient-provider communication, on cost containment issues, and on patient outcomes. There is, however, evidence
Volume 58
Issue 3
2013
125
Table 1.—Credible Websites for Consumers of Oral Health Information www.cochranecollaborative.com
www.perio.org www.adha.org www.ada.org www.nih.gov www.cdc.org
Patient link section directs consumers to information on what Cochrane reviews say, find out about evidence-based health care, learn about the Cochrane Collaborative and become involved as a patient or consumer. This site provides a variety of links for the public and media, including tools to access individuals’ risk for gum disease and treatment options. Oral health information section links to many fact sheets on varying oral health topics. Public resources section provides links to find a provider, browse by oral health topic, and help consumers manage their oral health. This site provides links to browse or search an extensive list of consumer health topics. This site offers extensive multimedia delivery of health and safety topics including healthy living, work-place safety and health, environmental health, podcasts and electronic health e-mail greetings.
Numerous corporate web resources are also available that require careful review and selection by providers. (Courtesy of Bray KK: Assisting our informed patients’ use of consumer health information and technology to improve their oral health. Access 26:12-14, January 2012.)
to support that the levels of acceptance and satisfaction among patients concerning the use of these tools to help in making health decisions is growing. Using Information with Patients.—The public’s ability to access information and to participate actively in making health decisions means the dental practitioner needs to accommodate this partnership. Providers must relinquish the expert authoritarian unidirectional model of interacting with patients and participate in a two-way exchange to benefit the patient. The evidence-based approach to decision making used by providers to avoid bias allows them to come alongside patients and help them evaluate the information on its merits. Health care providers must not only expect but also encourage patients to gather and share information rather than see this as a competitive situation. However, patients need to be reminded that media-based health information often focuses simply on what is new. The health care provider can help them determine if new findings are corroborated by other studies and worthwhile considering when making health care decisions. The Internet in particular allows an unregulated flow of information, much of which is not credible. The health care provider and patient need to forge a partnership to assess the accuracy of information. Providers can refer patients to websites with credible oral health information (Table 1). Oral health practitioners should also focus on the patient’s individual oral health needs. Patient-centered communication strategies use open-ended questions and reflective listening techniques to share the decisionmaking process. It is important to accept this two-way sharing of information and to not be intimidated or challenged by patients bringing in information. Suggested Actions.—Suggestions for health care professionals to better manage patients who seek health information from lay media include the following:
126
Dental Abstracts
1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
Maintain a positive attitude when patients share information from the Internet. Warn patients that the quality and reliability of material from the Internet are often compromised and encourage them to look for information from more than one site. Develop a strategy for handling Internet information before patients bring it in. Affirm consumer contributions as valuable. Accept that some of the information may be both relevant and valid and that sometimes patients will bring in information you did not know.
Clinical Significance.—It is important to keep the lines of communication between provider and patient open at all times. Patients need to feel that it is safe to discuss things with their health care provider, that he or she will help them review the accuracy and applicability of the information for them in particular, and that they can then make the best health care decisions. Besides being careful to follow the suggestions offered, it is equally important that providers not act dismissive or paternalistic toward patients, that they avoid denigrating comments made by others on the Internet, that they not refuse to accept Internet information, and that they not feel threatened by the interaction.
Bray KK: Assisting our informed patients’ use of consumer health information and technology to improve their oral health. Access 26:12-14, January 2012 Reprints not available