The entire health care system operates on this assumption that patients understand written and spoken information provided to them. However, sometimes they do not understand what the doctor is talking, and this communication barrier is a major hurdle in our health care system. October is “health literacy month” and is a good time for all doctors to assess how much their patients understand. The patient should have enough knowledge about the disease he/she is suffering from, what precautions should be taken, why, which symptoms or conditions mean the disease is getting cured/worse, etc.
This ensures that the patient promptly acts if something goes wrong and further health complications can be avoided or reduced. Doctors must also explain to their patients about various treatment options available and why a particular option he has selected to treat the patient. This helps in gaining the…
