Every year for World Patient Safety Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) asks patients, healthcare providers, policymakers and health care leaders to come together and see where we can improve patient safety, writes Sheema Lughmani, Communications Officer, National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate, HSE.
This year the WHO is asking us what can we do to improve diagnostic safety. A diagnosis identifies a patient’s health condition, and is a key to accessing the care and treatment they need.
One important aspect of diagnostic safety is communication between patients and healthcare providers. It’s estimated that one in three of patients have difficulty understanding health-related information. Poor communication can hinder or cause a delay in getting a diagnosis.
As part of World Patient Safety Day, the HSE, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Patients for Patient Safety Ireland, have developed the My Health, My Voice resource to help improve communication between patients and their providers. This resource was initially developed in 2023 and has been tested in the community this past year. Now, with feedback from both providers and patients, it is accredited by the National Adult Literacy Association’s (NALA) Plain English standards.
What is it?
My Health, My Voice is a leaflet for patients that encourages everyone to be involved in their own care. The leaflet outlines three key questions we encourage people to ask at their health or social care appointments. Examples of appointments may include GP, outpatient appointments, in-patient hospital stays, a visit from your public health nurse or the Emergency Department. The questions are:
What do I need to know?
- This can help patients be more prepared and understand what they need to know about their health and care.
What do I need to do next and why?
- This can help patients better understand what is happening with their care and make a healthcare plan based on options that matter to them.
What can I expect?
- This can help patients be prepared for what to expect of their healthcare plan, how their health issues may affect each other and their overall wellbeing.
- This also helps patients follow their healthcare plan.
Benefits of using the My Health, My Voice leaflet
We can all struggle with healthcare information and My Health, My Voice is a simple, but effective tool to help ensure patients have key information they need on their healthcare journey.
When patients get more involved in their own care, it can lead to more accurate diagnoses and better health outcomes. For example, patients can communicate more effectively with healthcare providers, accurately describing symptoms, aided by a pre-made list that is brought with them to their healthcare appointment. Sharing of information reduces the likelihood of misdiagnosis and ensures timely interventions. Patients are more likely to stick to their prescribed healthcare plan when they better understand their conditions, and the decision making and rational behind their healthcare plan.
Where to access:
The My Health, My Voice leaflet is available on the HSE National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate website. We encourage healthcare providers to share this important resource with all their patients.
You can also access the recorded version of the leaflet on YouTube.
These resources will be formally launched on the World Patient Safety Day, September 17, 2024.
Opportunity to get involved
If you know patients who are interested in getting involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of healthcare services, ask them to contact the National Patient Forum and Patients for Patient Safety Ireland. We can all make a positive difference to health and social care services.
