Plain Language Improves Quality of Care

Nine in 10 adults in the community lacked the literacy skills to manage their health and prevent disease. That was the conclusion of staff members from Providence Medical Center in Wayne, Neb, after attending a health literacy summit in 2008. The 25-bed critical access hospital responded by creating a multidisciplinary, health literacy team with these goals: improve communication between staff and patients; revise patient forms, educational materials and surveys to an eighth-grade reading level; and ensure a live interpreter is available to Spanish-speaking patients. The team worked to get buy-in from staff and involve patients, families and the community. Small tests of change were completed to see what worked best. Documents formatted in 12-point font size—with plenty of bullet points and white space—and focused on three main points are readable for most patients. PMC staff also use the teach-back and SBAR techniques to communicate effectively. These changes have increased patient satisfaction scores and the number of hours interpreters are used. The hospital has partnered with the Northeast Nebraska Public Health Department on this initiative.

For more information, contact Leslie Schulz, director for social services, at lschulz@providencemedical.com. Visit the Symposium for Leaders in Healthcare Quality website for the project storyboard from the 2015 Quality and Equity Roadmap. For more case examples and resources, check this website and visit the Equity of Care website.