Checking Your Understanding

Using the PACE System

It’s important to make sure you clearly understand your health care options, your doctor’s recommendations, and any treatment instructions. Sometimes patients are a bit shy about checking their understanding, but doing so is very important. It shows the provider that you are concerned about getting complete and correct information.

We recommend you check your understanding of the information the provider gives you. There are three ways you can do this.

• Ask the provider to repeat or clarify information that is unclear.
• Repeat aloud what the provider has said.
• Summarize your understanding of what the provider has said.

You are more likely to remember information if you have repeated or summarized it. But, don’t hesitate to ask your provider to write down medical terms, draw a picture, or write down information.

You could even ask the provider if you could tape record the conversation, or take someone with you. Having an extra person there to take notes or just listen and provide support can be very helpful when trying to remember information later on.

Click on the link below to watch a demonstration of checking your understanding.

A video example of checking your understanding.