Dear Julie and list members -
I work for a healthcare system (Group Health Cooperative in Seattle) that has a substantive initiative in the area of plain language and health literacy.  To this end, we are using multi-faceted communication and education strategies to bring much-needed awareness to the interaction of a patient with the entire healthcare system from front line patient intake clerks to physicians, and even beginning to address how to make the underlying processes of health care better (way-finding in a large care facility, explaining test results in an accessible, patient-centered fashion).

We're rolling out a CME course for our physicians and in the coming year, will partner with nurse managers and others to continue finding strategies to educate health care providers on these issues. Another emphasis area is working with pharmacists, who have a huge patient-facing role that should not be overlooked!

I'm one member of a large cross-disciplinary team of folks at my site, so if you'd like to drill-down about any or all of this, let me know and I can connect you with other members of our working group as appropriate.

Regards,
Sarah Greene

Sarah M. Greene, MPH
Research Associate III
Group Health Center for Health Studies
greene.sm at ghc.org
206.287.2989

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-----Original Message-----
From: healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:healthliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Julie McKinney
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 9:50 PM
To: healthliteracy at nifl.gov
Subject: [HealthLiteracy 2365] Wednesday Question: Health Literacy Curricula for The Health Care Field

Hi Everyone,

I am on my way to a learning institute in Calgary sponsored by The
Centre for Literacy and Bow Valley College.

The topic is: Constructing Curriculum for Health Care Providers

See the info at this link:
http://www.centreforliteracy.qc.ca/whatsnew/Health+Lit_Oct_08.pdf

I'd love to bring your opinions to the table as we discuss this issue.
Please write in your thoughts on any of the following questions, and I
can share them with the group of international participants:

- Who is creating health literacy curricula and for whom?
- Who in the health care sector needs health literacy curricula?
- Should health literacy curricula have a common core for all in the
health care sector?
- Where is the space for health literacy in professional curricula?
- Should special attention be paid to health care  workers with low
literacy?
- Where are the promising practices of teaching and learning that
incorporate cultural diversity, adult literacy and health?

I look forward to hearing from you!

All the best,
Julie


Julie McKinney
Health Literacy List Moderator
World Education
jmckinney at worlded.org
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National Institute for Literacy
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