IMPROVING HEALTH LITERACY Molly Toon DNP, RN, CPNP-PC

molly.toon@ttuhsc.edu 806 743 6687

3601 4th 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.

A B S T R A C T

P R O J E C T S I T E A N D T E A M

G A P A N A LY S I S P R E / P O S T: P E D I I D T E A M

P U R P O S E O F T H E P R O J E C T To i m p r o v e t h e e d u c a t i o n o f p a t i e n t s a n d f a m i l i e s e n a b l i n g t h e m t o u n d e r s t a n d a n d p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e i r p l a n o f c a r e

R E S U LT S P R E / P O S T: PAT I E N T / FA M I LY B R I E F F E E D B A C K F O R M

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

F R A M E W O R K

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit •  Evidence-based resource

•  Provides tools and guidance

•  Supports national standards

I M P R O V I N G W R I T T E N C O M M U N I C AT I O N

BASELINE ESTABLISHED

I M P R O V I N G S P O K E N C O M M U N I C AT I O N

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

SetGoalImplement

ImprovementMeasureChange

ReviseorContinue