We have found it useful to show some video clips in the first class to give students an
opportunity to see the problems that other people have faced when they need health
care. Our program is designed to help people become empowered to ask their doctors
questions, and to feel that they have a right to know what is happening to them so
they can be better informed and, consequently, better partners in their own health care
decision-making. We have found that both the CBO staff members and also the students
themselves have really enjoyed these video clips that show how other people have felt
about their interactions with their doctors. We suggest showing some of these video clips
at the beginning of the first class so that the students in the class can discuss them and
offer their own experiences.
Here are two clips developed by the American Medical Association Foundation (AMA) to
help doctors learn how important it is for them to understand the feelings and emotions
of their patients who have trouble understanding what they (the doctors) tell them.
AMA Video Clip #1: Patient Doesn't Know How to Read the Forms Before Her Operation
AMA Video Clip #2: Patient Feels Doctor Doesn't Communicate Clearly Regarding Her Medicines
Here are several video clips that we have captured in classes. These show that students
are interested in getting information that can help them in their health care interactions.
CBO Class Video Clip#1: Trainer's Experience With Her Son's Rash
At the beginning of the first class, the trainer shared an experience of her own in which
she had multiple trips to the doctor to deal with her son's rash. She had taken him back
two times and the rash was not responding to the medication she had been given.
Finally, after taking the training in preparation for teaching,she looked on the MedlinePlus
website where she found a picture of a rash that looked like the one her son had. Then
she took her son back again and her hunch was confirmed. She found the training really
valuable!
CBO Class Video Clip#2: Trainer's Experience With His Doctor
One of the trainers presents his experience in which his doctor wasn't really paying
attention and suggests that he take a pregnancy test. This trainer was able to laugh
at the suggestion, but it might have been a real insult to someone else. Learning
how to talk to the doctor can help you feel more confident and able to help make
choices about your own health care.
CBO Class Video Clip#3: Class Discussion Of Health Care Experience
After the class watched one of the AMA video clips, the class and the trainers discussed
it. That encouraged one of the students to share his experience in trying to get help
with a serious problem he had with his eye.