At Princeton Insurance, we encourage physicians to build a partnership with their patients by helping them to take a more active role in their care. When patients ask questions and seek to understand their doctor’s point of view, they are more likely to arrive at an agreed-upon understanding of their condition and treatment. Ultimately, this partnership can reduce the likelihood of medical errors and miscommunication.

In the past, much of the responsibility to ensure that effective communication takes place between physicians and their patients has fallen squarely on the physicians. Instead, this approach seeks to get the patients more involved and to do something that will help themselves.

Along with the various techniques referenced in the Princeton Insurance Physician Office Practice Tool Kit, physicians can foster this partnership by allowing for the dialogue needed to take place between themselves and their patients.

The following patient communication tools may be used in several ways to accomplish this goal. They are available in both English and Spanish.

Posters
Place the posters in the waiting room and in each exam room for patients to reference while they are waiting for you. 

Handouts
Provide patients with the two-page patient handout (which can be copied as one double-sided page) as they arrive at the front desk to sign in. Have your staff instruct patients to review the information on the handout and encourage them to make sure the physician addresses their questions before their appointment is over.