Patient Education Management Archives – December 1, 2008
December 1, 2008
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It takes two! Make written material easy to read and understandable
What makes educational material a must-read? The key is to make documents easy to read and understand, says Doug Seubert, guideline editor in Quality Improvement and Care Management at Marshfield (WI) Clinic. -
Field testing, a must-do for on-target handouts
To write clear, understandable material for patients, patient educators must involve the target population in the process. -
Reading scores rise with difficult medical terms
When difficult medical terms are used in a text the reading grade level is higher. -
Resources for producing clear language documents
Many resources are available to help patient education managers produce clear, readable patient handouts. To write documents in plain language Doug Seubert, guideline editor in Quality Improvement and Care Management at Marshfield (WI) Clinic frequently uses the following resources: -
CM program cuts hospital stays for ESRD patients
An intensive case management program for patients with end-stage renal disease resulted in an 83% drop in hospitalization in just six months for members of DaVita VillageHealth's Special Needs Plan. -
Getting board members on board with education
Several states are re-energizing hospital board member education efforts with moves to certify and mandate educational requirements. Minnesota has started a voluntary certification program, and New Jersey has passed laws to require education. -
Initiative emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration
As the result of an initiative in which the entire hospital staff collaborate to improve length of stay, Spartanburg (SC) Regional Healthcare System's average severity-adjusted length of stay has dropped from an average of 5.40 days in 2007 to an average of 5.18 days so far in 2008.