BOISE, Idaho, Aug. 29, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Multiple research studies have shown that patients who receive discharge instructions with visuals and iconography recalled 35% more of their instructions than those who received standard discharge instructions. To ensure patients learn and retain crucial health information, Healthwise has enhanced their Patient Instructions with enriched visual design.
Healthwise Patient Instructions have been used for over a decade by clinicians across the U.S. and Canada to provide people with clear and concise information about their specific point in care, giving them context about their diagnosis, treatment, and what to do at home. The enhanced instructions now include icons to call patients’ attention to the most critical content, promoting better patient understanding and recollection of the information. For instructions that give essential information on preparing for a surgery or avoiding readmission, these new callouts are especially imperative and can help organizations avoid costly complications and improve quality ratings.
Additionally, Healthwise modernized the design of the instructions by breaking up the text into scannable sections and incorporating more images so that complex medical concepts are more easily understood. In a recent study, users indicated the instructions to be more appealing, attention-grabbing, and informative. Like all Healthwise health education, these enhanced Patient Instructions are written in plain language, up-to-date, and evidence-based so organizations and their patients can trust the information.
Clinicians also now have access to new anatomy sketches, depicting various areas of the body that they can draw on to visually explain concepts. This helps patients get the full picture and better understand their health. These enhancements reduce the time clinicians spend educating patients, improve the patient-provider relationship, and cut readmission rates.
“As a provider, I need to have confidence in the quality and usability of the education I provide to my patients, so that I know they can understand the information and make smart health decisions,” said Adam Husney, Chief Medical Officer at Healthwise. “These visual instructions give me the tools I need to empower patients to better care for themselves and their loved ones, while improving the way I engage patients for better satisfaction.”
These new Patient Instructions are available as part of the Healthwise for Point of Care solution and within leading EHR and CRM platforms.
About Healthwise
Healthwise is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. People have turned to Healthwise information two billion times to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say “no” to the care they don’t need. Healthwise partners with hospitals, electronic medical record (EMR) providers, health plans, care management companies, and health websites to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the people they serve. www.healthwise.org. 1.800.706.9646.
Media Contact: Sonja Deines Email: sdeines@healthwise.org Phone: 208.489.8481 Source
