The changing reimbursement climate finds healthcare providers redoubling efforts to reduce hospital readmission rates and the incidence of hospital-acquired conditions. Often overlooked is the impact that patients themselves can have in managing care plans and optimizing treatment outcomes. Patient contributions to these risk management initiatives increase with the effectiveness of provider-patient communications. This interactive session will review current best practices for: preparing patients to engage in discussions about their treatments and conditions, delivering that information to patients, and incorporating those communication practices into wider patient safety initiatives. Tools and resources to make patients productive risk management partners will be provided.