The Importance Of Patient Education Handouts

By Mara Boone


Patient education handouts are written documents. These documents are majorly made for the sick people. They are made available in some hospitals depending on how necessary the administration of those particular hospitals finds them.

These documents are mainly designed for those that are visually capable, but lack other essential senses such as hearing. They may also be given to those patients that frequently suffer from memory lapse. This is because they can always refer to the written handouts for confirmation of the instructions given by the doctor.

These publications have their pros and cons. However, they are more advantageous than disadvantageous. Their advantages include the lasting impact they have on the memory of a patient. Also, they are likely to get to more people as compared to gatherings or electronic media which may not be accessed by many. They can also be kept for future reference. Since they are read over and over again, clarifications on some aspects may be sought in the future in case of any forgetting. Written information may also be more appealing to the reader than other forms.

The documents have their own strengths and weaknesses. However, the strengths seem to have outweighed the weaknesses. Some of their advantages include, getting to communicate important messages on health matters to everyone in society including the less privileged such as the physically handicapped. They also have a lasting effect on the readers; hence messages on heath matters are retained for much longer.

However, they also have their disadvantages. They may not be of any use in a case where a patient can see but is totally illiterate. They may also not work for the deaf and blind people, leaving their reference solely to their caretakers. Also, they may lead to unclean environment when they are carelessly placed or thrown after use by the parties to whom they are presented.

These documents contain varying information depending on the target groups. If the publishers wish to inform people on preventive measures of various diseases, the information of the handouts will be on prevention. Others may be educative on types of diseases or even symptoms of various diseases. Some of the articles at times may be just to encourage the sick people and give them hope of healing from their sicknesses.

Though these documents were initially designed for the sick, they also may just be given to the healthy people, especially when containing information such as preventive measures of some ailments, or ways on how to care for the sick people, because it is a matter that concerns the healthy people. Also, they may be given even those directly targeting the sick, so that they may avail them to their sick relatives and friends.

Patient education handouts have over time proven useful. Many health organizations have recommended for their use and are championing for its implementation. People also running their own private hospitals, especially those concerned more with quality patient care than money generation, have already put this method into practice for better service delivery.




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