Study: Half of patients forget physician recommendations

When asked to accurately recall decisions and recommendations from their physicians, only about half of patients are able to do so without prompting, according to a study published in PLOS One.

Researchers conducted an observational study at three outpatient clinics of nearly 200 outpatient encounters. One week after their visits, patients were interviewed and asked to freely recall any important information discussed during their visits, such as treatment options and decisions. They found that 49% of patients were able to accurately recall decisions and recommendations without prompting. Thirty-six percent were able to remember details with a prompt and 15% had erroneous recollections or not at remember details at all.

The researchers suggest several techniques physicians may use to improve patient recall. These include the use agenda setting, open questioning, and limiting the amount of information patients must remember in a single visit based on an assessment their ability to recall.

Source: PLOS One