Public Libraries: The Consumer Health Information Connection for Utah! Helping Your Patrons, Patients & Providers Access “Healthy” Information.

Public Libraries: The Consumer Health

Information Connection for Utah!

Helping Your Patrons, Patients & Providers Access “Healthy”

Information

Health Clinics & Public Libraries: Building Healthy Partnerships for Utah

A Statewide Initiative Sponsored by:Utah Women’s Health Information Network (UWIN)

Clinic/Public Library Partnership Initiative

Community Health Centers + local public libraries =Better health information in the community

Women are the health information gatekeepers for their families

Shared Goals:

• Improve access to reliable health information for patients & providers-same goal for clinics and public libraries!

• Improve health care for Utah women & thus all Utah residents & their families

To begin-HHS/Office on Women's Health/ Univ. of Utah, Health Sciences Center/-Grant to develop Clinic/Public Library partnerships to disseminate health information statewide…

HOW DO WE MAKE LIBRARIES PART OF THE HEALTH CARE TEAM?

• Community library approaches neighborhood clinic or health care facility to develop partnership

• Librarian explains health resources @ library and willingness to partner for referral of patients seeking health/patient education

• Librarian is trained in reliable health information

• Clinic is provided with Information Rx tailored in order to refer patients to library for more health information

Materials & Training In DevelopmentEnglish & Spanish

For Librarians-ToolkitsTraining & Materials-paper/online-How to help patrons with consumer health questionsPosters & bookmarks in library-”Good Health Information @ Your Library

For Clinics- Information Rx Posters & bookmarks for clinics with maps & directions to neighborhood library-”Good Health Information @ Your Library”Reach out & Read label on give away books-”Like this book”-there are lots more @ your neighborhood library

For the Public-Public Relations Campaign Media coverage statewide, fall 2009, bookmarks Libraries can contact local media with materials provided (press releases, etc)

Your Information Rx

Fill @ Your Local Public Library

Finding Medical Information for Public

Library Patrons:

“I trust my doctor, but I’m seeing my medical librarian for a second opinion.”

Quote posted at entrance of Plane Tree Public Library, San Jose, CA

Why is it important for the public library to provide medical information?

• People are being asked to make decisions about their healthcare

• People may be afraid or forget to ask their doctor• Access to hospital libraries may be limited• “Googling” is a popular way to find health information

and librarians are needed to help filter the amount and quality of information found on the Internet

Challenges in finding medical information

• Medical terminology

• Knowing how much information to ask

• Not being familiar with the resources

• Knowing the “health literacy” level of the person asking

Health Literacy:

Is the ability to read, understand, and act on health care information.

Source: Center for Healthcare Strategies, http://www.chs.org/usr_doc/FSR1.pdf

Food Labels: Is this safe for someone on a salt-free diet?

Note: We rarely say “Pass the sodium”

Charts: Are they simple and usable?

Consent: Is this the way we talk? “I have discussed the likelihood of major risks or complications of

this procedure (if applicable) but not limited to infection…”

Who has Health Literacy Problems?

• People of all backgrounds, especially those with chronic health problems

• Most adults in U.S. read at 6th grade level, 45% below 6th grade level

• Older people, immigrants and those with low incomes are disproportionately more likely to have trouble reading and understanding health-related information

Win/Win:

Providing healthcare information benefits the patron because they get the information they need to improve health outcomes

The Library wins by gaining a new customer who will come back for other services and programs

Frequently Asked Questions

• Information about diseases or conditions• Latest treatment for…• Descriptions of particular procedures• Drug information• Herbal information• The best doctor or hospital

The Patron’s Path To You

The Reference Interview…in the context of health information

• Be empathetic• Be an active listener• Use open-ended questions• Respect privacy/confidentiality• Be prepared for emotions• Be aware of body language• Do not be afraid to refer the patron back

to his or her health care provider

Reference Interview “DO’s”:

• Do provide a safe, private place for your reference interviews

• Do use terms like “You must be worried,” or “This must be difficult”

• Do provide a range of materials

• Do explain why a resource is best suited to answer their question

• Do know the limits of your collection

Reference Interview “Don’ts:

• Do not judge, give an opinion, or tell the person “it’s probably nothing”

• Do not speak from personal experience or knowledge

• Do not pretend to have medical knowledge or guess at a condition

• Do not give medical advice

What Do Patrons Mean????What the patron said: What the patron

meant:

Sick lick vomiting Cyclic vomiting

Rose acre Rosacea

Lack toast intolerant Lactose intolerance

Showgrin’s syndrome Sjogren’s syndrome

Resources to help clarify patron questions:

• Dictionaries Mosby’s Medical, Nursing & Allied Health Dictionary American Heritage Stedman’s Medical Dictionary Taber’s Cyclopedic Dictionary • General Medical Texts Merck Manual of Medical Information Mayo Clinic Family Health Book American Medical Association Family Medical Guide

• Drug Resources Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) Consumer Drug Reference (Consumer Reports)

Online Resources• Library Databases provided by Pioneer: EbscoHost -- AltHealthWatch HealthSource--Consumer Ed. HealthSource--Nursing/Acad Ed. Medline (PubMed) *Your library may subscribe to additional

resources

• Health Databases• Internet Resources• Google or other search engine

Guide to Healthy Web Surfing

What should you look for:

•Consider the source—know who is responsible for the content.•Focus on quality—is the information reviewed before it is posted?•Be a cyberskeptic—get a second opinion, check more than one site.•Look for the evidence—rely on medical research, not opinion.•Check for currency—check dates on documents.•Beware of bias.•Protect your privacy—is your information kept confidential?•Consult with your health professional

Useful Web Sites to provide Good Health Information @ Your Library:

• MedlinePlus http://medlineplus.gov/• Utahealthnet http://utahealthnet.utah.edu• NIH Senior Health http://nihseniorhealth.gov/• Familydoctor.org

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home.html• KidsHealth http://kidshealth.org/• National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/

More…Useful Resources to support Good Health Information @ Your Library:

•CAPHIS, Consumer and Patient Health Information Section (Medical Library Association)

http://caphis.mlanet.org/

•Ask-A-Medical Librarian-Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utahhttp://library.med.utah.edu/or/asklibrarian.php

Non-English Language Resources

• MedlinePlus en Espanol

• Healthfinder Espanol

• CDC en Espanol

• Familydoctor.org en Espanol

• Consumer Health Information in Many Languages

• http://ethnomed.org/

Resources for health literacy:

• MedlinePlus – Easy to Read Easy to read resources and a how to write easy to read page

• Ask Me 3, Partnership for Clear Health Communication 1. What is my main problem? 2. What do I need to do? 3. Why is it important for me to do this?

• Health Information Literacy (Medspeak) Resources from the Medical Library Association

Want to learn more?Visit:• Good Health Information @ Your Library

Tutorials • Information for Librarians and Trainers (tutorials) • Resources for Health Consumers from the Medical Library Association

• Consumer and Patient Health Information Section Medical Library Association

• Health Literacy Information & Tutorials

Now you’re part of the health care team…

Others on your team:Susan Hamada, Salt Lake County Library System [email protected] 801-944-7513

Sally Patrick, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, Univ of Utah [email protected] 801-581-6979

Kathy Pudlock, Weber County Libr@[email protected] 801-337-2690