AIM:

The purpose of this toolkit is to help all health care providers learn to use teach-back — every time it is indicated — to support patients and families throughout the care continuum, especially during transitions between health care settings.

The toolkit combines health literacy principles of plain language and using teach-back to confirm understanding, with behavior change principles of coaching to new habits and adapting systems to promote consistent use of key practices.

What Is Teach-back?• A way to make sure you — the health care provider — explained information clearly; it is not a test or quiz of patients.

• Asking a patient (or family member) to explain — in their own words — what they need to know or do, in a caring way.

• A way to check for understanding and, if needed, re-explain and check again.

• A research-based health literacy intervention that promotes adherence, quality, and patient safety.

Click here for 10 Elements of Competence for Using Teach-back Effectively.

What Is In This Toolkit?This toolkit includes:

• An Introduction describing teach-back and providing 10 elements for using it effectively.

• An Interactive Teach-back Learning Module enabling learners to identify and use key aspects of plain language and teach-back throughout the care continuum, by following a patient’s experience during hospital discharge through the home health and primary care settings.

• Coaching to Always Use Teach-back with tips and tools to help managers and supervisors empower staff to always use teach-back.

• Readings, resources, and videos To Learn More.

Home Using the Toolkit Interactive Learning Module Coaching to Always Use Teach-back Learn More Acknowledgements

Copyright ©2012. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome to the teach-back training toolkit — Always Use Teach-back!

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Tools and Videos

10 Elements of Competence for Using Teach-back Effectively

Why Use Teach-back? A Patient Story-Inadvertent Overdose Video

Always Use Teach-back!

Making Teach-back an Always Event

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Use Always Use Teach-back! Logo here

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PickerDMU

Health Literacy Iowa

Making Teach-back an Always Event

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Teach-back Observation Tool

Care Team Member: ________________________________________ Date: _______________

Observer: ________________________________________________ Time: _______________

1

Did the care team member… Yes No N/A

Comments

Use a caring tone of voice and attitude?

Display comfortable body language,

make eye contact, and sit down?Use plain language?Ask the patient to explain in their own

words what they were told to do about:

Signs and symptoms they should call

the doctor for? Key medicines? Critical self-care activities? Follow-up appointments?Use non-shaming, open-ended

questions?Avoid asking questions that can be

answered with a yes or no?Take responsibility for making sure

they were clear?Explain and check again if the patient

is unable to use teach-back?Use reader-friendly print materials to

support learning?Document use of and patient’s response to teach-back?Include family members/caregivers

if they were present?

10 Elements of Competence for Using Teach-back Effectively

1. Use a caring tone of voice and attitude.

2. Display comfortable body language and make eye contact.

3. Use plain language.

4. Ask the patient to explain back, using their own words.

5. Use non-shaming, open-ended questions.

6. Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.

7. Emphasize that the responsibility to explain clearly is on you, the provider.

8. If the patient is not able to teach back correctly, explain again and re-check.

9. Use reader-friendly print materials to support learning.

10. Document use of and patient response to teach-back.

What is Teach-back?

l A way to make sure you—the health care provider—explained information clearly. It is not a

test or quiz of patients.

l Asking a patient (or family member) to explain in their own words what they need to know

or do, in a caring way.

l A way to check for understanding and, if needed, re-explain and check again.

l A research-based health literacy intervention that improves patient-provider communication

and patient health outcomes1.

1 Schillinger, 2003