Organizations in five Arkansas counties are invited to participate in programs offered free of charge by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) designed to improve doctor-patient communication.
The How to Talk to Your Child’s Doctor program will be provided to clinics, hospitals, schools, and other interested community organizations in Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, White, and Van Buren counties thanks to a donation of $60,122 from BHP, an Australia-based global resources company with shale operations in Arkansas.
Offered by the UAMS Center for Health Literacy, the How to Talk to Your Child’s Doctor program was developed to help parents better prepare for visits with their children’s primary care doctors. A companion program for adult patients, How to Talk to Your Doctor, is being implemented in these communities now, and resources remain available at no charge, thanks to the BHP donation. This content can be delivered by UAMS or by lay persons at organizations such as churches, schools, hospitals, and clinics. Organizations interested in participating in either program may contact Alison Caballero at (501) 686-5463 or bacaballero@uams.edu.
After engaging in the original How to Talk to Your Doctor program, patients reported improved confidence in communicating with their doctor and understanding their doctor’s instructions. Benefits also may include increased patient satisfaction and engagement, such as improved adherence to preventive care, follow-up visits, and immunization schedules.