The Value of Patient Education

As physical therapists, we all realize that patient education is the most crucial part of the treatment process and our commitment to education is what sets us apart from other health professionals. However, many of us never stop to assess if we are doing our best as educators. Do our clients really understand and retain the knowledge we pass on to them? There are three main truths that explain why many of us to fail in delivering adequate education to our clients. Think about each one of these and how relevant it may be to you.

VERBAL EDUCATION OFTEN FAILS TO GET OUR MESSAGE ACROSS 
As therapists, we have two choices for effective communication to our clients - verbal or visual. Verbal instruction can be tedious and repetitive. As therapists, we also often underestimate our client's ability to recall. We think they have "gotten our message", when in fact it has gone right over their heads. Visual material is the most effective way to reinforce our ideas and ensure proper recall of the exercises we want our clients to perform. Most of us will remember picture, images and colors longer than the spoken word. Remember the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Providing clients with visual handouts and clear exercise instructions is one of the best methods to make sure our information is understood and retained.

THERAPISTS ARE BUSY PEOPLE
Our time is precious and our top priority is treating our clients. After all, that is what we were trained to do. It is often difficult to juggle enough time to treat, educate, instruct in exercise, teach self-help tools and answer all the questions clients throw at us. Do you have clients who ask you; what are the best sleeping postures? What is the correct way to lift? All these conversations take away precious clinic time yet taking the time to educate your clients in this manner is an important part of the treatment process. Having access to educational resources that explain these important self-management skills will save therapists time and effectively help us perform our job role as effective educators.

THER IS A LACK OF QUALITY, AFFORDABLE EDUCATION MATERIAL SPECIFIC FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS 
Unfortunately, resources for educational material, especially those specific to physical therapy, are either very limited or extremely costly and time consuming to apply in practice. There are very few handouts that "depict the things physical therapists want to say, in the way we want to say it". So, we put up with old material and exercise sheets that have been copied and re-copied so many times they are faded, crooked and visually unappealing. Unfortunately, without realizing, such unprofessional looking sheets and handouts only serve to decrease the positive reputation and profile of our profession. “Now that we realize why we often fail at client education, let us stop for a moment and think about why client education is so important.” It is because of the following points…

Education develops credibility: Education reveals you as the best resource and treatment option for your client's problem. Education develops trust: Patient education sends the message that you completely understand your client's condition and what it takes to make them feel better. Educational material from a trusted health professional is valued more than similar information obtained from a magazine, book or internet. Education will have your clients quoting you to their friends and family

Education increases understanding: Patients who are educated will have a greater understanding of their condition and treatment, and will be better equipped to take an active part in the treatment process

Education improves compliance: When a client is discharged from your care they will be greatly influenced by the educational material they receive from you. Satisfied customers are not only the ones who will return to you in the future but are also the ones who will spread the word about how great you are!

Student Focus | 4th Edition

By Anoshia Rizvi

Institute of Physical and Rehabilitation Science,
F.M.H Lahore

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