Transcript Training Objectives - University of New Mexico

October is Health
Literacy Month
1) What’s Happening at
UNMH?
2) What Can You Do to
Move UNMH Forward?
Audrey Riffenburgh
Senior Health Literacy Specialist
Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Rising to the Challenge
 National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy
(US DHHS, ODPHP)
 Promote changes in the health care system that
improve health information, communication,
informed decision-making, and access to health
services.
Groups at Greatest Risk of
Low Health Literacy Skills
 Seniors
 People living in poverty
 People from ethnic minority groups—
Hispanic, Black, American Indian
 People with physical, mental or other health
problems
 People with chronic or long term health
problems
Look familiar?
Sources: National Adult Literacy Survey (1993) and
Health Literacy of America’s Adults (2003).
How Much Does the “Person
on the Street” Understand?
 Health and the City
What is UNMH Doing to Improve
Communication with Patients?
 3 Classes in 2012: “Creating Reader-friendly Print and
Web Materials”— 57 people completed
 Patient-Friendly Document Committee (and PFEC)
 Assisting Health Literacy Specialist in designing system
changes to improve patient/family documents, forms, and more
 Health Literacy Task Force
 Assisting with raising awareness, Health Literacy Month, and
educating clinicians about health literacy
 Resources Online
 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website
Health Literacy Month
Activities
 Health Literacy Fair— October 2-3, 2012
 Combined forces to celebrate national Quality, Library, and
Pharmacy Week or Month
 Showcased “before” and “after” documents, PDSAs, quality
initiatives, “teach back” for checking patient comprehension
 Bulletin boards at main
 Packets to offsite clinics for staff education
 This presentation
Health Literacy Month
Activities (continued)
 Coming soon: extensive plain language
thesaurus on intranet
 HSLIC Health Literacy LibGuide:
http://libguides.health.unm.edu/ and click on
Health Literacy
Check it Out!
 Here is a recently revised document from
UNM Hospitals
 See if you can spot the changes!
Original Parent Discharge
Checklist (NBICU & ICN)
Final Parent Discharge
Checklist (NBICU & ICN)
Key Changes
 Checklist format for easier usability
 New heading and more instructions re: P-G
Survey to draw attention
 Phrased to speak to reader, not about reader—
e.g., “your hospital stay” instead of “Mother’s
Hospital stay”
 More conversational language— e.g., “taking
your baby home” instead of “discharge”
Coming Attractions at UNMH for
Improving Communication with Patients
 “Document clinics”/work sessions (for those who
have taken the class)
 Style guides/sample layouts for standardizing and
improving patient documents
 Intro/awareness sessions on health literacy offered
for your staff meetings
 More classes in 2013
 In 2013, more focus on verbal communication
So, you’ve heard about the
exciting work on patient
communication.
What can you take back to your
worksite that will make a
difference?
Working Effectively with Patients
Challenged by Health Literacy
and Limited English Proficiency
Bronwyn Wilson MD
Department of Internal Medicine
Sr. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
How Patient-Friendly Is my Unit?
 Imagine you are a new patient with limited
health literacy who comes to your unit.
 What happens now? Where do you go?
 Whom do you ask for help?
 What if you are embarrassed by what you don’t
understand and don’t ask many questions?
 Now imagine that you don’t speak English
very well either…..
Behaviors that May Indicate
Low Health Literacy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Trouble navigating the healthcare system
Patient registration forms incomplete or
inaccurately completed
Frequently missed appointments
Anger or frustration with staff/providers
Unable to name medications or explain
timing/purpose
Lack of follow-through with lab tests, imaging,
referrals
Patient-Friendly Procedures
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Exhibit general attitude of helpfulness – notice
when a patient is confused and suspect lower
health literacy
Create a shame free environment
Use clear and easy-to-follow signs
Insure forms are at 7th - 8th grade level
Provide assistance with completing forms
Review instructions for tests, procedures using
“teach back” method
Patient Interview Techniques
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Slow down
Use plain, non-medical language and references
to everyday life (“your heart is like a pump”)
Ask simple questions, one at a time
Show diagrams, pictures and models
(Google images are very helpful)
Limit amount of information – focus on 2-3 key
points
Use the “Teach Back” method to check for
understanding
“Teach Back” Method
You do not want your patients to feel this
is a test. Place the responsibility on
yourself :
" I want to make sure I have been clear…
 Can you tell me how you will explain this to your family
when you get home?”
 Can you please explain back to me what this medicine
does?”
 Please tell me what you think the next steps are from
what I’ve told you?”
Remember, we want our patients to feel
comfortable and satisfied with their care
 The majority of our patients have limited health
literacy, especially if they are worried about their
health or don’t speak English well.
 Most of our patients do not understand how to fill
out complex forms, nor the patient satisfaction
surveys that we send them.
 We can help them by working together at all levels
to improve their experience and enhance their
health outcomes.
To Learn More, Share Ideas,
Request a Talk, or Get Help...
Contact:
Audrey Riffenburgh, MA
Senior Health Literacy Specialist
Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
272-5101
Bronwyn Wilson, MD
Office of Academic Affairs
272-8268