This is a manual that provides a road map on how to develop patient education policies and procedures for IHS, Tribal and Urban hospitals, clinics and community health programs.

Access a Table of Contents listing of all the process manual components.

This chart provides a pictorial representation of the manual's suggested development process.

This brief introduction provides an overview of the development process this manual suggests to follow.

The process of developing a Hospital/Clinic PFE Policy and Procedure Manual shall begin with the support and commitment of the Hospital/Clinic and Tribal Leadership.

The structure of the Hospital/Clinic staff will need to be examined in order to view the overall picture for implementing a comprehensive patient education program.

Policy and Procedure Manuals are developed according to the assessed needs of the population served.

This section of the PFCE PFE manual suggests a detailed "road map" to initiate a comprehensive, site-specific Patient Education program and Policy Manual.

This section of the PFE manual suggests a four step evaluation process utilizing Total Quality Management (TQM) theory. The focus is on process improvement dependent on a multidisciplinary team approach to the delivery of patient education.

Step Six is the Documentation and Coding of Patient Education which gives an overview of how the RPMS (the Resource and Patient Management System), the PCC (the Patient Care Component) and patient education documentation can be integrated to support health care delivery, planning, management and research. An explanation of a concise, consistent documentation process utilizing the PCC is provided. This coding process offers a meaningful way for all health care team members to communicate with each other, thereby enhancing the team's patient education efforts and collaboration. Since the codes are entered by providers at the time of the patient visit, data retrieved should be an accurate reflection of the education happening at a given facility.

The ORYX statistical outcome indicator system provides JCAHO with factual, statistical numbers on patient care from data entered on the PCC. ORYX meets the JCAHO requirements because ORYX is: 1.) a data driven accreditation process; 2.) a performance measurement system; and 3.) is unique to the Indian Health Service because the data comes from the PCC.