Online Program

Oral

The most fundamental skills for participating effectively in one's own health care include the ability to ask questions and focus on key decisions. These are the same skills that a citizen needs to participate effectively in democracy. These skills are rarely, if ever, deliberately taught. Too often, patients/ residents in low-­‐income communities do not participate effectively in their encounters with Medicaid-­‐funded services nor in traditional forms of democratic action. The new idea of Microdemocracy emphasizes the overlooked health care and democratic potential for teaching patients to ask their own questions and focus on decisions. This session will present the core educational strategy for teaching the skills and as well as examples of how medical students and health outreach workers taught the skills in low-­‐income communities. It will conclude with an analysis of the idea of Microdemocracy and the potential for Medicaid-­‐funded services to become new starting points for better health care outcomes and for greater participation in democracy.

Session Objectives: Analyze the democratic implications of the concept of Microdemocracy and how Medicaid-­‐funded services could become catalysts for increasing democratic capacity in low-­‐income communities. Examine a six-­‐step process for teaching question formulation skills to all people, no matter their level of education or income. Examine three key criteria for accountable decision-­‐making in health care and in a democracy. Identify ways medical students can teach skills for promoting patient activation to low-­income patient.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)