Can I check your understanding?

Abstract

Background

The health system places a significant burden on clients to understand their health. Teach-back, an evidence-based communication approach, involves clients explaining back in their own words what they have been told. Clinicians then work with clients to clarify any misunderstandings.

Objectives/Aims

This study evaluated the use of teach-back in a regional health service. Method

This was a qualitative study using a co-design process for implementing teach-back. Intervention: All staff were exposed to teach-back training. Post-intervention: Teach-back was implemented over a six-month period. This abstract reports findings from a focus group held with participating clinicians on their perspectives of using teach-back

Results

Clinicians (n=8) identified that using teach-back: • Reinforced and supported reflection of own practice. • Highlighted specific areas to explain further to support a ‘take home’ message for clients. • Increased understanding decreased clients’ anxiety. • Written and printed information supported closing the loop of understanding • Clients that were more motivated in therapy gained more understanding of information.

Implications/Outcomes for Planned Research Project

Teach-back is useful to implement into practice, to support improvements in health literacy.

For future practice teach-back needs support via a champion and opportunities to observe other clinicians’ teach-back interactions. Various methods are needed to ensure new and rotational clinicians are educated to implement teach-back.