Overview
Patients sometimes do not ask questions because they are afraid of seeming ignorant or difficult. In some cultures, questioning the doctor is considered rude. The key to encouraging questions is letting patients know you expect and really want them to ask questions. Creating an environment that encourages patients to ask questions is an important way to engage patients as active partners in their healthcare and promotes patient safety, good health outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
Patient Experiences
"Some patients are reluctant to ask questions. I used to be like that myself. A doctor would tell me something and I'd say, 'Okay, thanks.'…. When I ask questions, I’m more likely to follow through with the advice from the doctor….. If I hadn't started to ask my doctors questions, I honestly think I would be dead today."
—Bill Lee
Action
Invite questions.
- Ask "What questions do you have?" This open-ended wording signals that you have time and are interested in their questions.
- Ask several times during an office visit. Do not wait until the end.
- Do not ask, "Do you have any questions?" Most patients will respond by saying "no," even if they have questions.
- Create the expectation that they have questions. For example, you could say:
- "We covered a lot of information. What questions can I answer for you?”
- "This is the first time you’re hearing about this condition, and I expect you have questions. What would you like to know more about?"
- "Many people have questions. I’d like to hear what questions you have."
- "Thanks for those question. What else would you like to know?"
- Use body language to invite questions.
- Sit, don't stand: Sit at the same level as your patient.
- Look and listen: Look at patients when talking and listening, not at the chart or computer.
- Show that you have the time: Let them know you have time and want to listen to their questions. Do not interrupt or stand by the door.
Encourage all staff to make sure questions are asked and answered.
- Check-in and rooming staff can encourage patients to ask their clinicians any questions they have during the visit. Offer paper and pens to write down questions and take notes.
- Check-out staff can ask patients whether all their questions were answered. Make sure you have a plan for how to respond if a patient says "no."
Remind patients to bring questions with them.
- Appointment reminders can suggest patients bring a written list of questions with them or use the QuestionBuilder, available online and as an App, in English and Spanish, in the AppStore and Google Play.
- Display posters with encouraging messages like, "Ask more questions!" or "What do you want to know? Ask us!"
Encourage patients to ask questions in other health settings.
- For example, when giving a patient a new prescription, you might say, "Be sure to ask the pharmacist if you think of any additional questions about your medicine."
Track Your Progress
Ask clinicians to keep a log for 1 day of the number of patients they encouraged to ask questions using opened-ended phrases like, "What questions do you have?" Repeat after 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months.
Over the course of a week, record the percentage of patients who call or email the practice with questions within 48 hours after their office visit. Check before implementing this tool and again after 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months.
Before implementing this tool and 2, 6, and 12 months later, collect patient feedback on a selection of questions about this tool from the Health Literacy Patient Feedback Questions.
Refer to Tool 2: Assess Organizational Health Literacy and Create an Improvement Plan to learn how to use data in the improvement process.