1. View the online AMA video on health literacy, "Help Patients Understand"
2. Review the Model for Improvement  
3. Identify local rate of low literacy
4. Locate local literacy programs
5. Assess the extent to which your organization provides a shame free environment

Session 1: The Case for Focusing on Health Literacy

Faculty:  Mary Ann Abrams, Gail Nielsen, Norma Kenoyer
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Eastern Time

• Build the case for creating a more patient-friendly health care learning environment
• Know and describe the prevalence of low health literacy and its effects on health knowledge, behaviors, outcomes, and costs
• Explain how health literacy, as a cross-cutting priority, is fundamental to safe, high-quality care
• Define interventions and first tests for improving interpersonal communications

Action Period One (May 28 – June 10, 2008)

Participants will be asked to complete the following:

1. For three patients, use PDSA to test “Teach Back” following patient education to discover whether they understand and what percent of the content they can recall and restate
2. Review Ask Me 3 questions and resources
3. Critique a written piece using the reader-friendly checklist

Session 2: Interpersonal Communication for Patient Teaching and Self-Management Support

Faculty: Mary Ann Abrams, Gail Nielsen, Norma Kenoyer
Date: Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Eastern Time

• Identify opportunities to create a shame free environment
• Use Teach Back, Ask Me 3, and plain language techniques

Action Period 2 (June 12 – June 22, 2008)

Participants will be asked to complete the following and report results of tests plus next steps:

1. Analyze readability of a written patient education piece using online SMOG (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook)
2. Complete a PDSA using Ask Me 3 to redesign a patient education segment
3. Complete a second PDSA to test the use of Teach Back for clear patient understanding

Estimated time commitment: 5 hours if 1 person reviews (less if more people), 1 hour for team discussion

Session 3: Written Communication for Patient Teaching and Self-Management Support

Faculty: Mary Ann Abrams, Gail Nielsen, Norma Kenoyer
Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Eastern Time

• Recognize written health or education materials that may be difficult for patients to understand
• Identify and use the general tenets of developing reader-friendly written educational materials