Slide 21

Teach-Back

• Way to confirm that you have explained what the patient needs to know
• Not a test of the patient but rather a test of how well you explained a concept
• Should be used with every patient; never assume literacy or health literacy
• All staff should know how to do it

Notes:

Teach-back techniques help determine if the patient understands what you tried to teach. By using certain phrases and approaches, you can learn if your teaching was effective. If not, you might need to present information in a different way to gain patient understanding. You need to assume that all patients, regardless of their education level or language, are vulnerable to not understanding.

According to Dr. Schillinger, Let's assume that everybody has it (limited health literacy). That way, it is sort of a "universal precautions" equivalent in the patient safety movement.