What is the teach-back method?
The teach-back method is a useful way to ensure patients understand information.
Regardless of a patient’s health literacy level, it is important that staff ensure that patients understand the information they have been given. Teach-back is a research-based health literacy intervention that improves patient-provider communication and patient health outcomes.
It is a way to make sure you – the health care provider – explained information clearly. It is not a test or a quiz of patients.
Asking a patient (or family member) to explain in their own words what they need to know or do, in a caring way. Teach-back is a way to check for understanding and, if needed, re-explain and check again.
10 Elements of Competence for Using Teach-Back Effectively
- Use a caring tone of voice and attitude.
- Display comfortable body language and make eye contact.
- Use plain language.
- Ask the patient to explain back, using their own words.
- Use non-shaming, open-ended questions.
- Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
- Emphasize that the responsibility to explain clearly is on you, the provider.
- If the patient is not able to teach back correctly, explain again and re-check.
- Use reader-friendly print materials to support learning.
- Document use of and patient response to teach-back.
Learn more about teach-back from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality >
Access additional teach-back resources from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality >