It's Good to Ask Facts
What is It’s Good to Ask?
Why is It’s Good to Ask important?
How can I get involved?
Will the materials be available in other languages?
Who are the intended audiences?
What is It’s Good to Ask?
It’s Good to Ask is a province-wide program designed to encourage patients and families to have the information they need to make the most of every health care experience. It is filled with tips and tools to help patients:
- Talk to their health care team.
- Understand their health condition.
- Understand what they need to do to improve their health condition.
The It’s Good to Ask program was created with the generous support and adapted from the work of the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety’s It’s Safe to Ask initiative, the Partnership for Clear Health Communication at the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Ask Me Three program and the Health Quality Council of Alberta It’s Okay to Ask initiative.
Why is It’s Good to Ask important?
When we visit the doctor or another health care provider, we want to leave knowing what our health problem is, what we need to do about it, and why. But for more than half of adult Canadians, this does not always happen. It’s Good to Ask encourages patients and families to request the information they need in order to understand their health condition and their role in participating as part of the health care team. It encourages patients to become active participants in their care.
The BC Patient Safety & Quality Council, in partnership with health service delivery organizations in BC, launched It’s Good to Ask because:
- Educating patients on how to become active partners in their health care improves their experience and quality of care overall.
- Encouraging and supporting health care providers to become partners with patients and families will help to empower patients.
- It’s Good to Ask is modeled on successful initiatives in the United States (Ask Me 3), Manitoba (It’s Safe to Ask) and Alberta (It’s Okay to Ask).
How can I get involved?
If you are a patient or family member, see Information for Patients for tools and tips.
If you are a health care provider and/or health care leader see Information for Providers for more information on how you can support patients and their families to become partners in their own care.
Will the materials be available in other languages?
The It’s Good to Ask Worksheet and Medication Card have been translated into French, Chinese and Punjabi for the launch in November 2009, and later will be translated into other languages.
It’s Good to Ask Worksheet English Chinese French Punjabi
It’s Good to Ask Medication Card English Chinese French Punjabi
It’s Good to Ask Be Active in Your Care Brochure English Other languages coming soon!
Who are the intended audiences?
The message “It's Good to Ask” is aimed at the entire health care team including patients, families, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health care providers. It’s Good to Ask encourages patients and families to develop a partnership with their health care providers and become active members in their own care. It’s Good to Ask materials can help health care providers and organizations encourage patients understand their health condition and the importance of their role in improving their health condition. The initiative encourages patients and health care providers to discuss 3 key questions:
- What is my health problem?
- What do I need to do?
- Why do I need to do this?
The It’s Good to Ask Program also includes tips for patients that want to do even more to strengthen communication with their health care providers.
