How to share health inf...

Are you planning to share health information on a website? Lots of people and organizations do. But how much do users get out of them? Functional health literacy, as well as the challenges of technology, can make it difficult for users to get what they need. Fortunately, there’s...

Let’s get rid of disc...

I’m wondering if we should even use the term “discharge teaching” any more. That implies we teach at discharge. Clearly, that’s the wrong time to teach – staff don’t have time, and patients just want to leave the hospital. Besides, the content of the education isn’t...

Apply the research for ...

My book, No Time to Teach summarizes the research in patient education, and presents it so readers can quickly apply it to teach more effectively and efficiently. I continually monitor the research, looking for new methods that may arise. Instead, I seem to find over and over again...

How accurate is liquid ...

We’ve been talking a lot these days about medication errors: wrong drug, wrong dose. We’re also talking about functional health literacy. Treatments we prescribe can get pretty complicated, and some folks just don’t have the skills to safely take care of themselves. So now...

Have information come t...

Now that we have easy access to so much information through the Internet and social networking, many of us feel the pressure of time more acutely. Do you find yourself sitting at the computer too much, just trying to keep up? Then let the technology do more of the work! Rather than...

Last few days for 20% d...

Just a few days left! Order No Time to Teach by the end of May and receive 20% off your order. Use coupon code: NOTIME. This offer is only good for orders placed through the Pritchett & Hull website http://p-h.comby phone (800) 241-4925 or by fax (800) 752-0510. If you’ve...

Free guide to help pati...

Looking for a way to engage patients in their own discharge planning? The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is now offering on its website: Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital. This is an easy-to-read booklet for patients to help them care...

Health Information in A...

Effective patient education requires communication. Patients appreciate care that is individualized and patient-centered. So if your patient is deaf and communicates with American Sign Language (ASL), here’s another resource: videos free from Medline Plus. Topics now available...

Physician: “Since we...

Physician: “Since we’re not reimbursed for education, maybe we shouldn’t provide it.” Yes, I actually heard a physician say patient and family education is not necessary, since it is not reimbursed by third party payers. Devil’s advocate or honest opinion? Does it matter? Interesting...

Has patient education c...

Do you think patient education has changed in the last 50 years? A recent paper by Hoving, Visser, Mullen, and van den Borne (2010) answered this question. They looked at the development of patient education from the 1960s to now. They observed that, in this timeframe, patient education...