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Medical Sciences Library

Radiology in Clerkship

Patient Education & Communication

Patient Education: Used to improve health outcomes, empower patients, and support self-management.

  • Ensure the resources are accessible in terms of language, readability, cultural relevance, and digital access.
  • Resources should be at an appropriate reading level, easily understood, and ideally offered in multiple formats (print, digital, audio) to accommodate different learning styles and needs.
  • Verify that patients have the necessary technology and digital literacy if resources are provided online. 

Resources

  • MedlinePlus and MedlinePlus Spanish is a comprehensive online health information resource designed for patients, their families, and friends. It offers a wide range of topics, including:
  • MedlinePlus Connect is a free service allowing electronic health record (EHR) systems to link users to health information easily.
    • How It Works
      • Request Information: MedlinePlus Connect responds to requests based on diagnosis codes, medication codes, lab test codes, and procedure codes.
      • Receive Links: When a system submits a code, MedlinePlus Connect provides links to relevant patient education materials.
      • Access Options: Available as a web application or web service, in both English and Spanish.
  • CDC Health Topics A-Z Index provides health information on popular topics, frequent inquiries, or topics relevant to the CDC’s public health mission. Includes open-access handouts, brochures, videos and more.
  • UpToDate is an evidence-based clinical resource that offers comprehensive patient education resources designed to help patients and their families understand medical conditions and treatments.
    • Levels of Content
      • The Basics: Short overviews written in plain language, answering the most important questions a person might have about a medical problem.
      • Beyond the Basics: Detailed reviews for readers who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical terminology.

Patient Handover

Accurately conveying key information to a transition team during care handoffs is critical for maintaining patient safety and ensuring continuity of care.

Effective Handover Strategies

  1. Standardized Protocols and Checklists: Use structured tools like the I-PASS handoff framework, which includes elements such as Illness severity, Patient summary, Action list, Situational awareness, and Synthesis by receiver. These tools help ensure completeness and clarity while minimizing information loss.

  2. Face-to-Face and Two-Way Communication: Direct interactions allow for clarification and immediate questions, reducing miscommunication. Employing closed-loop communication—where the receiver repeats key information to confirm understanding—further enhances accuracy.

  3. Limiting Interruptions: Create an environment free from distractions to allow for focused information exchange. This can include timing handoffs outside of high-traffic or peak activity periods.

  4. Comprehensive Information Sharing: Include critical details such as patient condition, treatment plans, potential complications, and post-operative care needs. This also involves integrating relevant documentation, like lab results or imaging data.

  5. Team Member Preparation: Both giving and receiving teams should review pertinent patient data beforehand. This readiness supports efficient and thorough handoffs.

  6. Training and Simulation: Regular training and the use of simulation exercises can help teams practice and refine handoff processes, aligning with best practices from other high-risk industries like aviation and nuclear power.

Sources

Barbeito, A., Agarwala, A. V., & Lorinc, A. (2018). Handovers in perioperative care. Anesthesiology Clinics, 36(1), 87-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anclin.2017.11.005

Lane-Fall, M., Pascual, J., Peifer, H., Di Taranti, L., Collard, M., Jablonski, J., Gutsche, J., Halpern, S., Barg, F., & Fleisher, L. (2020). A partially structured postoperative handoff protocol improves communication in 2 mixed surgical intensive care units. Annals of Surgery, 271(3), 484-493. https://doi.org/10.1097/SLA.0000000000003569