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Catherine Taylor, PharmD, MPH Candidate Boston University, School of Public Health April 27, 2011

Public health professionals in a patient-centered health care setting: Ensuring high quality and effective communication. Catherine Taylor, PharmD, MPH Candidate Boston University, School of Public Health April 27, 2011. Objectives. Describe practicum background and learning objectives

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Catherine Taylor, PharmD, MPH Candidate Boston University, School of Public Health April 27, 2011

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  1. Public health professionals in a patient-centered health care setting: Ensuring high quality and effective communication Catherine Taylor, PharmD, MPH Candidate Boston University, School of Public Health April 27, 2011

  2. Objectives • Describe practicum background and learning objectives • Explain the importance of health literacy to practice of public health. • Discuss frequent mistakes health care professionals and providers make when communicating with patients • Compare written pieces of patient education for readability, understanding, appropriate format, and other key aspects to creating quality patient educational pieces.

  3. Practicum Background • Lahey Clinic has an identified need to improve patient communication pieces in a variety of areas • Pre-procedure and post-procedure instructions • Assorted photocopied information pieces • Lahey Clinic has an identified need to increase awareness regarding the importance of health literacy amongst practitioners • Patient and Family Education Committee • Provides a variety of ways to practice public health communication techniques • Submit to Lahey internal newsletter, Spectrum • Edit existing pieces • Craft original documents

  4. Lahey Clinic, Burlington MA • Non-profit hospital • Affiliated with Tufts University • Ambulatory Care center sees >3000 patients / day • 317 bed hospital • Primarily services adult and geriatric patients

  5. Practicum Learning Objectives • Understand reasoning for health literacy focus and develop a method to convey importance to medical professionals • Learn the guidelines of health literacy and plain language writing skills • Edit and/or develop patient education pieces to meet the standards set by Lahey Clinic

  6. Health Literacy: Why Does It Matter? • Health literacy is a patient’s ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions1 • Poor literacy is a “stronger predictor of a person’s health than age, income, employment status, education level, and race”2 • 9 out of 10 adults cannot use the health information provided to in healthcare facilities, retail outlets, media and communities3 • 300 studies over 30 years: Reading level of the health related materials exceed that of an average high school graduate4

  7. Methods • Edited documents distributed to patients • Developed clear and succinct original pieces, combined the medley of pieces departments were using • Created patient information booklets • Assisted in writing Patient Education Tips for Lahey Clinic circular, Spectrum • Began development of health literacy training for all employees of Lahey Clinic, set to launch November 2011

  8. Outcomes • We are the experts! We have a responsibility to ensure our patients are receiving information they can use and understand • According to JCAHO, failure to provide patients with information about their care in ways they can understand will continue to undermine other efforts to improve patient’s safety. • Need to respect all parties • Follow the principles set by leading health literacy organization (e.g., CDC, American Medical Association (AMA)) • Expect some resistance…

  9. Common Errors When Communicating With Patients Written Communication • Using medical jargon • Not using plain language • Not using • an active voice Verbal Communication

  10. Common Concerns Around Health Literacy • Clinicians want their patients to understand information and have better health outcomes, BUT… • No extra time? • Recent literature shows patient-centered visits only last about 1minute and 40 seconds longer5 • “These statistics don’t apply to my patients” • Is screening for health literacy appropriate for clinical settings?5-11 • AMA currently recommends not screening patients for health literacy status

  11. DRAFT

  12. DRAFT

  13. References • American Medical Association. Health literacy. 2011. Accessed 19 April 2011. Available from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/member-groups-sections/medical-student-section/community-service/health-literacy.shtml. • American Medical Association. Report on the council of scientific affairs, ad hoc committee on health literacy for the council on scientific affairs. JAMA 1999;281(6):552-7. • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health marketing: health literacy. October 2010. Accessed 19 April 2011. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/healthmarketing/healthliteracy/. • Nielsen-Bohlman L, Panzer A, Kindig, D. Health literacy: a prescription to end confusion free executive summary. National Acadamey of Sciences 2004. Accessed 19 April 2011. Available from http://www.premierinc.com/safety/safety-share/09-06-downloads/13-iom-exec-sum.pdf. • AMA book training,… • Articles from assessing literacy paper… (6-11)

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