Make it Safe to Ask
Make it Safe to Ask is part of the Manitoba health literacy initiative It’s Safe to Ask. The It’s Safe to Ask initiative encourages patients and families to request the information they need in order to become active participants in their care.
The It’s Safe to Ask initiative encourages patients to ask three basic questions of their health-care provider:
- What is my problem?
- What do I need to do?
- Why do I need to do this?
Make is Safe to Ask encourages health care providers to be supportive of their patients and families when they ask these questions.
Knowledge is critical to quality health care and improved health outcomes. A well-informed, engaged patient asks questions, tries to understand, and takes-action for themselves and their families, working with their health care providers to become a team player in their health care. Make it Safe to Ask encourages patient and family engagement with their health care provider, which ultimately can have a positive impact on health outcomes, as well as patient and family and health care provider satisfaction.
What can health-care professionals do to Make it Safe to Ask?
Encourage Questions
Use Visual & Non-verbal Communications
Use Plain Language
Resources for health providers
Videos
Health Literacy for Health Care Professionals
Is it “Safe to Ask” you? Making Communication with Patients Safer and More Effective.
Note: this video was created by the former Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety (MIPS). MIPS has since been integrated into Shared Health’s Quality and Learning Service, and many of the resources described in the webinar are available on the Shared Health website.