Communication is key to better health care

Communication is key to better health care

   September 22, 2011       SNap(R)

---

Communication is key to better health care

 

“Questions are the Answer,” a new initiative from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Ad Council, encourages clinicians and patients to engage in effective two-way communication to ensure safer care and better health outcomes.

 

An original series of new videos on the AHRQ website, www.ahrq.gov/questions, features real patients and clinicians discussing the importance of asking questions and sharing information.

 

The website also features new resources to help patients be prepared before, during and after their medical appointments. The resources include:

 

•                      An interactive “Question Builder” tool that enables patients to create, prioritize and print a personalized list of questions based on their health condition.

•                      A brochure, titled “Be More Involved in Your Health Care: Tips for Patients,” that offers helpful suggestions to follow before, during and after a medical visit.

•                      Notepads to help patients prioritize the top three questions they wish to address during their appointment.

 

For more information, go to www.ahrq.gov/questions.  To request free copies of the brochure and notepad, please contact us at 1-800-358-9295 or email AHRQpubs@ahrq.hhs.gov.

 

Read More

AHRQ Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture Database -- OPEN FOR REGISTRATION

AHRQ Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture Database -- OPEN FOR REGISTRATION

   September 22, 2011       SNap(R)

---

Reminder:  Registration is NOW open for data submission to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture Comparative Database. If you have already registered, please take the time to complete your data submission.

First, please take a few minutes to view our submission instructional video for details on registering and submitting your medical office data to the submission system at https://www.sops-database.org/db/Public/TrainingIntro.aspx.

Medical offices that have administered the AHRQ survey can now voluntarily submit their data to the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture Comparative Database, which is open September 15 to October 15, 2011 for registration and data submission. Medical offices, health systems, or vendors in the United States that have already completed administration of the AHRQ Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture and are prepared to submit their data by October 15, 2011 are eligible.

This database is a central repository for survey data from medical offices, health systems, or survey vendors that have administered the AHRQ medical office survey instrument. One of the purposes of the database is to produce comparative results to help medical offices identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in their patient safety culture. Comparative results are reported in the aggregate and do not include any information identifying participating medical offices.

To register, please go to  www.sops-database.org/medicaloffice 

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at DatabasesOnSafetyCulture@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Thank you,    

The Medical Office SOPS Database Submission

 

Read More