Be Prepared To Be Engaged: Intervention
Patient and Family Engagement in Primary Care
The Be Prepared To Be Engaged toolkit will help patients and their families prepare for and become more fully engaged in their medical appointments—to be ready for the appointment, to speak up, to ask questions, to take notes. Tools are also available for clinicians and practice staff to encourage and reinforce patient preparation and engagement.
Note: Resources on this page were used in testing the Guide to Improving Patient Safety in Primary Care Settings by Engaging Patients and Families. The materials were improved as a result of the testing process. You can find the final version of the Guide at: https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/reports/engage.html.
Get Started With Be Prepared To Be Engaged
Be Prepared Implementation Quick Start Guide: The Quick Start Guide provides clinicians and practice staff with five simple steps for implementing the Be Prepared To Be Engaged strategy in the office setting. It is available in two sizes for printing—a full-page format or a half-page brochure:
- Be Prepared to Be Engaged webinar recording
- Quick Start Guide Full Page [PDF File, 400 KB]
- Quick Start Guide Brochure [PDF File, 329 KB]
Materials To Support Implementation
For Patients and Families
| Material | Uses | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Be Prepared: A Guide for Patients and Families [PDF, 463 KB] | Inform the patient and family about the Be Prepared to Be Engaged strategy. Encourage participation. |
Poster, flyer, or handout that explains the goal of the Be Prepared strategy and the patient and family role in the process. |
| Patient Prep Card [PDF, 194 KB] | Help patients and families prepare for a medical appointment. Encourage patients and families to document reasons for their appointment, along with their concerns, questions, and goals. |
Postcard that can be sent to patients prior to an appointment or given to them as an appointment reminder. It can also be made available to patients and families in the waiting room or exam room. |
| Patient Note Sheet [PDF, 199 KB] | Encourage patients and/or family members to take notes during the appointment. | Note sheet that can be made available in the exam room along with a pen to encourage note taking during the appointment. |
For Clinicians
| Material | Uses | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Helping Patients and Families Prepare for an Appointment: A Guide for Clinicians [PDF, 2 MB] | Inform clinicians about tools available to help patients and families be prepared and engaged in care. | Handout that explains the Patient Prep Card and Patient Note Sheet and the clinician role in their use by patients and families. |
For Practice Staff
| Material | Uses | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Helping Patients and Families Prepare for an Appointment: A Guide for Staff [PDF, 2 MB] | Inform practice staff about tools available to help patients and families be prepared and engaged in care. | Handout that explains the Patient Prep Card and Patient Note Sheet and the practice staff role in their use by patients and families. |
Additional AHRQ Materials—Be Prepared To Be Engaged
- Questions Are the Answer - Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Question Builder
- Encourage Questions, Tool 4 of the AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit
