Health care providers in five Arkansas counties are invited to participate in a program offered free of charge by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). The program is designed to improve doctor-patient communication.
The How to Talk to Your Doctor program will be provided to clinics and hospitals in Cleburne, Conway, Faulkner, White, and Van Buren counties, thanks to a more than $60,000 donation from BHP, an Australia-based international producer of iron ore, metallurgical coal, copper, and uranium, as well as oil, gas, and energy coal.
Offered by the UAMS Center for Health Literacy, the How To Talk to Your Doctor program was developed to help patients better prepare for visits with their primary care doctors. A companion program for parents – How to Talk to Your Child’s Doctor—is under development, and will be offered in the future, thanks to the BHP donation. Healthcare providers interested in participating in the program may contact Alison Caballero at (501) 686-5463, or bacaballero@uams.edu.
After engaging in the program, patients reported improved confidence in completing medical forms, 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.