New Speak Up campaign aims to help patients better understand telehealth visits

A new patient safety campaign from The Joint Commission — Speak Up™ At Your Telehealth Visit — is designed to educate patients on how to navigate virtual healthcare.

Telehealth, which has grown in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, has many benefits. It saves travel time and transportation costs, increases access to specialists and for second opinions, and can take place almost anywhere a patient can have a private conversation.

These educational resources include:

• An infographic poster/flyer in three sizes (8.5x11, 11x17 and 24x36).
• An animated video to incorporate in healthcare facilities.
• A distribution guide with recommendations on how healthcare organizations can use and provide the materials for patients and their families, caregivers, and advocates.

The infographic and video are available in both English and Spanish.

Launched in 2002, the award-winning Speak Up™ program has been used in more than 70 countries. It encourages patients to be their own advocates and to:

• Speak up
• Pay attention
• Educate yourself
• Advocates (family members and friends) can help
• Know about your new medicine
• Use a quality health care organization
• Participate in all decisions about your care

For updates on new Speak Up™ campaigns as they become available, sign up for email alerts or subscribe to Joint Commission Online. (Contact: Caron Wong, )