What do patients and parents want to know? What do they need to know?

Health, or patient, education is important in enhancing patient cooperation and compliance with medical regimens. When communication flows in only one direction (from the physician to the patient), education is relatively ineffective. The process of patient education should be viewed as a joint venture, in which the patient helps to determine what information should be provided. The physician must consider not only what the patient needs to know, but also what he or she wants to know. The physician should find out specifically what a patient on a particular occasion would like to have explained. If necessary, the physician can effect a bridge between the information that is deemed to be appropriate and the patient's perceived needs. Anxiety may block the patient's receptiveness to health care information. The physician can alleviate these fears by creating a "therapeutic alliance." A helpful tactic is to speak in language the patient can understand, keeping the message simple and specific. Timing is also crucial; the physician must be able to judge when a patient is ready to receive certain information. The degree of detail offered will depend on the patient's needs and preferences. The hallmark of a pediatric practice is an open mind and continued readiness to assess the patient's knowledge, receptiveness to additional health information, and current needs.