IMPROVING HEALTH LITERACY Molly Toon DNP, RN, CPNP-PC [email protected] 806 743 6687 3601 4 th St. STOP 6264 Lubbock, TX 79430 Healthcare information can overwhelm even persons with advanced literacy skill especially in an unfamiliar setting and stressed by healthcare issues. To improve health literacy, it is necessary for healthcare providers and organizations to be health literacy competent and to apply that knowledge as healthcare information is presented to patients and families. The field of health literacy has proven the benefits of understandable instructions. Identifying methods to ensure information is understood is the logical next goal. Knowledge obtained from this project informs the process of improving communication and building health literacy skills for inter-professional providers and for patients/ families. ABSTRACT PROJECT SITE AND TEAM GAP ANALYSIS PRE/POST: PEDI ID TEAM PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT To improve the education of patients and families enabling them to understand and participate in their plan of care RESULTS PRE/POST: PATIENT/FAMILY BRIEF FEEDBACK FORM Academic-based Pediatric Infectious Diseases (Pedi ID) Clinic • Limited hours Tues- Thurs AM • 2 sites Participants • Pedi ID Team (8) • Pedi ID Patients & families • 169 Patient Encounters Health Literacy Team • Physician-Content expert • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner-Facilitator • Clinic Nurse-Tactical Assistance FRAMEWORK Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit • Evidence-based resource • Provides tools and guidance • Supports national standards IMPROVING WRITTEN COMMUNICATION BASELINE ESTABLISHED IMPROVING SPOKEN COMMUNICATION 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Staff can write easy-to- read Gets pt. feedback Assess if easy-to-read Concise;plain language Other languages Forms easy to fill out Improving Written Communication Pre Post Goal 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Meets regularly (p=0.0490) Re-assess and updates Plan & collect data (p=0.0105) Educated about literacy Agreed to support Understand H.L. universal precautions Implement & test changes (p=0.0490) Preparation for Practice Change Pre Post Goal 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 All speak plain lang./mod.pace All listen no interrupt p=0.0490<5 points & repeat Clinicians discuss materials Teach-back own words Offer help with forms Improving Spoken Communication Pre Post Goal Collected Surveys 85/169 survey return Goal Met Success Continue Materials Created; Education 50% increase Goal Met Success Continue Staff Education Self evals Improving Success Continue Set Goal Implement Improvement Measure Change Revise or Continue