title: Patients prefer the method of "tell back-collaborative inquiry" to assess understanding of medical information.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this study was to determine which approach to assessing understanding of medical information patients most prefer and perceive to be most effective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two videos were shown to participants: (1) a physician explaining a medical condition and its treatment and (2) a physician inquiring about patient understanding of the medical information the patient had been given using 3 different types of inquiry: Yes-No, Tell Back-Collaborative, and Tell Back-Directive.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Tell Back-Collaborative inquiry was significantly preferred over the other 2 approaches.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients strongly prefer the Tell Back-Collaborative inquiry when assessing their understanding. We recommend that physicians ask patients to restate what they understand using their own words and that they use a patient-centered approach.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614-0621, USA. kempe@etsu.edu
authors.forename: Evelyn C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Floyd
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McCord-Duncan
authors.forename: Forrest
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003071:Cognition; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010361:Patients; D014743:Videotape Recording