• 1. “I’m here to work together with you on your health.
     We are a team.”
  2. “Learn as much as you can about your condition. Here are some ways to get started.”
  3. “Talk about your condition with other patients like you.”
  4. “I encourage you to seek a second opinion before making a decision about major surgery or other serious treatments.”
  5. “I don’t know the answer to your question; let’s look it up together.”
  6. “There are a number of options, each with pros and cons. Let’s talk about your preference.”
  7. “Here’s how you can connect with me online.”
  8. “Here are the things I’d like to address today; what are your concerns?”
  9. “Did I address all of your concerns? Is there anything else?”
  10. “Feel free to read your test results and the rest of your medical record online whenever you wish. You can also use our website to schedule an appointment, request a prescription renewal, or do other administrative tasks.”

 

Excerpt from Let Patients Help! A “patient engagement” handbook – how doctors, nurses, patients and caregivers can partner for better care by “e-Patient Dave” deBronkart with Daniel Z. Sands, MD, MPH. All rights reserved. Reproduced here with permission.