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For years, patients have been asking their doctors to explain medical conditions in everyday terms. Often patients remain confused or get interpretations or advice from family or friends. According to the last PEW Internet survey, more and more people have been turning to the Internet for health information.
Finally, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has initiated a health literacy training program for neurologists. According to the AAN, 50 percent of adult patients with neurological disorders may have difficulty comprehending information that their physician provides to them. Patients lack of understanding has contributed to medication errors, lack of adherence to treatment recommendations, missed appointments, adverse medical outcomes and malpractice lawsuits.
The AAN in conjunction with the AMA and AMA Foundation have offered training sessions that are designed to educate physicians about this widespread problem. They are also developing strategies for improving physician-patient communication. In addition, they are planning to incorporate a health literacy curriculum for medical students and residents in its residency programs.
Interestingly, "health illiteracy" is the term that is being used to describe this information gap. Such an inappropriate term that implies that it is a deficit in the patient as the cause of the problem. Are we all particle physics illiterates because we don't initially understand a physicist's description of neutrinos, quarks or antimatter?
Bedside manner 101 is supposed to teach clinicians how to speak to patients in terms that anyone can understand.
"What we have here is failure to communicate"
11:08:31 PM 
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