Posted by Bob Abrahamson on Wed, Jan 04, 2012 @ 02:47 PM
There is little argument that quality patient education resources help patients in many ways. My definition of “quality” includes such attributes as patient-centric, application of health literacy design principles, behavior-oriented, and, of course, scientific accuracy. When implemented as part of the patient education process, you can see increases in
patient satifsfaction, reductions in
avoidable readmissions, and better outcomes. But there is another important benefit – staff efficiency.
We recently surveyed caregivers across the country in an attempt to quantify the impact patient education resources had on workflow. The results were quite interesting. Here is some of what we learned:
- On average, a nurse will spend 3 hours and 20 minutes a day with every patient
- Of that time, approx. one third or 1 hour and 20 minutes a day is spent educating patients
- Of the education time, 40% is spent reviewing patient education materials with patients/families.
- On average, nurses believe that quality education materials will save them almost an hour in streamlining the entire education process over the course of a hospital stay which equates to about $26 in cost savings per patient
Considering the escalating costs of care coupled with the accelerating nursing shortage, the relatively small investment in education resources – in print and digital – can deliver a high return for your organization.
Click on the following link to download a copy of our
Research Brief on this topic and good luck with your education programs.
Posted by Bob Abrahamson on Mon, Dec 19, 2011 @ 07:22 AM
2011 was an eventful year. It began for us on January 1 when Krames Patient Education and StayWelll Custom Communications came together to form the Krames StayWell Company. As you might imagine, bringing together two long-standing organizations, each with its own rich culture, presented a series of challenges, a few rough patches, and thankfully a lot of triumphs as we saw a team of professionals come together, share best practices, and work hard to support a growing client base across the health care markets.Our evolution was unfolding within a rich tapestry of changes in the healthcare market place including:
- The first full year of Stage 1 Meaningful Use. Through November, CMS had paid out over $2billion in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to physicians and hospitals. Participation in the program now stands at over 154,500 providers.
- PPACA or Healthcare Reform began to significantly impact the health care ecosystem. ACOs is now a standard part of our vocabulary. And, with the recent rulings by CMS, I imagine that the impact of Medical Loss Ratios is going to influence a lot decisions on how care can be efficiently and effectively delivered as well as redefining what exactly makes up “care.” Stayed tuned for some really interesting discussions on that topic.
- Lean economic times. It seems that we have been skating on the precipice of a double-dip recession for a long time. Unemployment is hovering in the 9 – 10% range. Investing in infrastructure and weathering short term impacts of change become much more difficult when the economy is stalled.
It has been a interesting year. An eventful year. A good year.
With the holiday season upon us, I suggest the following trends will make 2012 another interesting year:
- Convergence - This is very exciting and promising. While there are many opinions about root causes of problems with health care in the US, there may be unanimity that one problem that impacts quality, safety, outcomes, and costs is fragmentation of our system. And while solutions to fix the problems are diverse, the fact remains that to some measure convergence is a unifying theme. Patient Centered Medical Homes promise to coordinate care among providers. Bundled Payments and new forms of capitation suggested by ACOs suggest a move away from episodic reimbursements for services rendered. Health Insurance Exchanges promise clarification, simplification, and a baseline of coverage for all citizens. And, the Holy Grail, maybe a movement – a convergence if you will – toward true health care not sick care.
- Engagement – Across the health care markets - from individual providers, to large healthcare systems, to disease management/population health providers to full service health plans – in 2012 you can expect to see more coordinated efforts to engage patients in their health care self-management. To realize the promised benefits of ARRA/HITECH or PPACA, engagement with patients, members, employees – engagement with you and me – is required. Now is the time to bring people into the fold by leveraging the reimbursed EHR to provide people with the information they need to make informed decisions about their health based on the data in their medical record, an understanding at the layman’s level of diagnosis, treatment options, and self-care requirement based on medical evidence and established guidelines, as well as an accounting of individual preferences and life goals. There are so many touch points across the continuum of care where engagement strategies will come into play that will serve to achieve the quadruple aim – better outcomes, increased safety, lower costs, and higher satisfaction.
- Political Turbulence – 2012 is an election year and it is clear that health care is a ripe political issue. With 16% of GDP going to health costs in a down economy, the rhetoric would be flying anyway without the fuel that can be provided by the HITECH provisions of ARRA and the Healthcare Reform Legislation. In this environment we must make 2 promises to ourselves and the people we serve. First, Be Honest and Be Clear – Regardless of where you stand on Healthcare Reform, those of us in the health care markets need to be factual and need to avoid inflammatory rhetoric. There are thoughtful positions on both sides of the issue that can be put forth in straight-forward, simple manner. Second, Don't Stall - Keep moving forward doing what you believe in. Convergence and Engagement are real and will move us forward. The worst thing we can do, because it is preventable, is to take a wait and see approach. If you don't buy into some of the current approaches supported by legislation or the current administration, work to implement what you believe will fix the system. Free enterprise is still in place. Don't stop.
2012 promises to be another interesting and challenging year. My hope for you is that it is also a Good Year.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.
Posted by Suzette Sison on Fri, Nov 11, 2011 @ 04:07 PM
There are only a few National Health Observances in December: World AIDS Day (December 1), National Handwashing Awareness Week (December 4-10) and National Influenza Vaccination Week (December 4-10). Yet keeping track of awareness efforts can be challenging amid the blur of activity this time of year brings. Here’s a few starting points to help keep you on track.
Visit the website of your cause’s sponsoring organization to leverage information, ideas and resources that can help enhance your own efforts. For instance:
The sponsoring organization for each health observance throughout the year can be found on the
2011 and
2012 National Health Observance calendars.
Another helpful strategy is to look for patient education solutions that help support health observance initiatives, as in these examples from Krames.
For detailed information on the titles above and many more, view Krames’ complete product line at
www.krames.com. Also, to help with your education efforts today, here’s a video on Hand Washing and Cleansing to check out!
These are just a few strategies to help keep you on track. What other planning tips would you add?
Posted by Bob Abrahamson on Mon, Oct 31, 2011 @ 07:57 AM
With CMS announcing that up to 30% of Medicare Reimbursements can be tied to patient experience as reflected in HCAHPS scores beginning in October 2012, there is increased focus on efforts to ensure high satisfaction scores. Yes, a lot goes into the patient experience that will impact satisfaction scores. However, there is a really great place to start – and that is providing good patient education materials**. Here are 3 Reasons Why:
- It’s Easy: I know, “nothing is easy.” While effort and distinct skills are necessary for effective patient education encounters, simply providing patient-centric education materials is a great place to start. When the initial HCAHPS results were released, quality of discharge instructions was one of 2 areas where hospitals routinely received lower scores. And, if you want to implement excellent patient education practices, a great place to start the process is by using superior patient education materials. Just think about it. If you were to change nothing in your practice EXCEPT for providing clear, easily understandable patient education, doesn’t it make sense those materials in and of themselves would lend themselves to improved satisfaction scores. We are in the information age with people managing their travel, finances, and in some cases healthcare online. One of my key business providers is totally self-service. Provide people the information they need that is accessible to them, and you will be making them happy. Again, education materials are not the be-all, end-all. As a big proponent of shared decision making , I understand the limitations of relying on decision aids alone. The people and the process are of the ultimate importance to providing maximum impact with patient education. It requires hard work, skill-building and it takes time. And it should be done. But, to get the ball rolling to and see some initial small victories, begin by using good patient education materials. It’s easy.
- It’s Cheap (relatively): When you consider the expense involved in implementing an EHR and improving both IT infrastucture and the physical plant to meet evolving patient/consumer experience expectations, the costs associated with patient education materials is miniscule. It’s less than a rounding error – regardless of whether your patient education materials are text based, video, interactive and/or mobile. Yet, when you choose quality content – available in all formats/delivery modalities – you can have positive impact not only in outcomes but in satisfaction. The electronic discharge instructions and patient specific education requirements of meaningful use may actually mean the costs associated with the content will be reimibursed. However, I would challenge you to consider the costs against the potential benefits and look beyond simply checking a box but toward providing the tools that will elevate quality of care which, you will find, will improve satisfaction scores as well.
- It Works: This is the only reason you need. Fortunately, there is research that proves the point. One such published study utilized our content . Here is a link to the study that was published in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing. In the study, providing diagnosis-specific education materials improved satisfaction scores in 8 of 9 measures. The article also sites many published articles that were part of a literature review that also shows the positive impact of patient education materials on satisfaction scores.
** - Defining Good Patient Education Materials - Books have been written on this subject but here are a few things to keep in mind when evaluating your materials:
- Application of Health Literacy Design Principles – Think plain language and go beyond reading level. Is it patient-centric? Is it culturally appropriate? Are meaningful graphics employed? Does it improve self-efficacy.
- Is it accessible – does it match various learning preferences – in text, video, audio, etc.
- Does it enhance Provider/Patient interactions? Is it a good teaching tool?
- Is it something you would feel good about providing your mom, your child, your best friend?
Posted by Bob Abrahamson on Thu, Oct 20, 2011 @ 10:09 AM
A colleague recently shared this video with me. Kudos to the American College of Physicians Foundation who produced this video - a must see as far as I'm concerned - that briefly and clearly illustrates the health literacy challenges that ALL OF US face. This is well worth the 6:26 of your time.
Please share . . . this is important.
And Happy Health Literacy Month - may it extend throughout the years.
Posted by Suzette Sison on Wed, Oct 19, 2011 @ 01:18 PM
With a full month and a wide array of important topics, it can be challenging to plan for American Diabetes Month. To help decide where and when to direct your patient education focus, the American Diabetes Association has developed a 2011 fact sheet. This convenient reference outlines specific goals and themes for each week designed to stop diabetes every day.
Take action and utilize patient education to enhance your programs and raise awareness efforts in each of these areas:
Week 1: Fighting for the Future – Giving a voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes and fighting for diabetes funding.
The keys to meeting these objectives are helping people understand how diabetes can be managed and the warning of the dangers of long-term complications. Products such as Living Well with Diabetes: A Self-Care Workbook, Living Well with Diabetes FastGuides® brochure, Pre-Diabetes DVD and Long-Term Complications of Diabetes offer this content in a variety of formats.
Week 2: Impacting Communities – Building relationships around the country to empower people to take control of their health.
Empowerment is what Krames patient education is all about. Engage people in their care with patient-centered education that provides actionable, accessible information to help manage their condition, at any particular point along the continuum of care. Titles such as Type 1 Diabetes booklet and DVD, Type 2 Diabetes booklet and DVD, Diabetes in Children and Teens DVD, Diabetes and Foot Care booklet and Foot Care for People with Diabetes DVD provide guidance and understanding to help make informed decisions for a better outcome.
Week 3: Celebrating Health – Recognizing courageous people who have overcome the obstacles of living with diabetes and the places that have helped them.
Patient education is the perfect complement to an inspiring story. Resources such as Eating Well with Diabetes, Meal Planning with Diabetes and Get Walking give motivated people the easy-to-understand how-to advice they need to continually overcome the specific diabetes challenges they face every day.
Weeks 4 & 5: Commitment to a Cure – Spotlighting the important research taking place that will lead us toward an eventual cure.
Often times, research on new treatments starts with the current standards of care. And until a cure is found, managing the disease is vital to keeping patients healthy. That’s why Controlling Diabetes and Heart Disease and Blood Sugar Testing DVD are valuable educational resources for this last stage of American Diabetes Month.
Krames StayWell offers a large selection of diabetes patient education in multiple formats, from booklets and brochures to videos on DVD, and even a unique multimedia online workbook that combines text, audio, video and animations. To view the entire Krames StayWell Diabetes line, visit www.krames.com.
Are you planning an event around any of these weeks? Or getting involved in another way? I’d love to hear from you.
Posted by Suzette Sison on Mon, Sep 19, 2011 @ 02:36 PM
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month falls in October and is one of the most recognized and supported National Health Observances of the year. Since the creation of this program in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled for women over the age of 50 and older and breast cancer rates have declined.
The mission of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month organization (NBCAM) is to educate and empower women to take charge of their own breast health by practicing regular breast self-exams, scheduling regular visits and annual screenings with their healthcare provider, adhering to treatment, and understanding the facts about this disease.
While the NBCAM partners with medical associations and other organizations to promote breast cancer awareness, share information on the disease, and provide access to screening services, much more still needs to be done.
Effective education is vital to empowering women to take charge of their breast health. Here are three tips for adding impact to your efforts.
1. Show a video.
The audio/visual presentation of videos like Mammogram and Breast Biopsy provide a dynamic learning experience. In fact, video delivery has been shown to increase retention of information by up to 16 times over that of text alone.1 And with a wide variety of formats readily available, you can deliver video education on your website, in a health care setting, or just about anywhere.
2. Provide ongoing educational resources.
While specific Breast Cancer Awareness events typically take place in October, fighting breast cancer is a year-round, life long effort until a cure is found. Patient education provides a continuous way to support your communication initiatives on the importance of early detection and screenings. Also, education helps to ease fears regarding early detection, symptoms and treatment options.
For example, a How to Do Your Monthly Breast Self-Exam shower card can serve as a daily reminder about this important topic. Plus, illustrated, step-by-step instructions provide a refresher every month.
3. Target your education messages.
According to the NBCAM, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). There are several different types of breast cancer, and many stages, so it is important to choose topics based on your audience, setting and timing.
For instance, a booklet like Breast Health would be perfect for public events designed to encourage regular screening, while providing a booklet on Breast Lumps helps to improve comprehension and understanding of common breast problems and treatment options for those that may have found a lump.
If you have any tips or resources of your own to share, please comment on the form below. Also, visit www.krames.com for more information regarding the products listed above or additional Krames patient education solutions.
1 Anesth & Analg 87(3):531-6
Posted by Suzette Sison on Mon, Aug 22, 2011 @ 03:53 PM
Back to school preparations have me thinking about how important education is for a person's future. And I'm not just talking about the reading, writing and arithmetic you learn about in the classroom.
Health education is vital to preventing and detecting diseases, reducing health risks, and improving the quality and length of your life. A number of National Health Observances coming up in September offer the perfect opportunity to teach or learn about important health issues. Here are just a few, along with some patient education resources to support your specific health promotion campaigns and events.
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
According the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Early detection and treatment can improve the odds of survival.
Screening for Prostate Cancer provides easy-to-understand information about the methods for screening and their pros and cons.
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Early detection and treatment is also critical for surviving ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society states that the 5-year survival rate jumps to 93% if ovarian cancer is found (and treated) before the cancer has spread outside the ovary.
Support your efforts with How to Prevent and Detect Cancer FastGuide® or another title from our OB-GYN line of patient education.
National Cholesterol Education Month
High cholesterol is a serious issue as evidenced by these facts from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: High blood cholesterol affects over 65 million Americans. It increases your risk for heart disease. And you can have high cholesterol and not know it.
A customizable “know your numbers” approach makes Managing High Blood Cholesterol & Other Lipids a great tool for personalized education on the subject.
Family Health & Fitness Day USA® (September 24) and National Women’s Health & Fitness Day™ (September 28)
These nationwide health and fitness events focus attention on the importance of regular physical activity and health awareness for families and women of all ages.
Women’s Health FastGuide® and the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7® DVDs complement these efforts with straightforward information and actionable tips.
Those are just a few of the health topics featured for September. To view the entire National Health Observances calendar, go to www.healthfinder.gov/nho/nho.asp. And visit www.krames.com for the full line of Krames Patient Education.
Posted by Suzette Sison on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 @ 04:55 PM
Summer is finally here... time for cookouts, family vacations and fun in the sun! It's also the perfect time to think about eye health and safety.
According to a 2009 survey by the American Optometric Association, one in three adults is unaware of the eye health risks of spending too much time in the sun, and only 29% of parents indicated that they make sure children wear sunglasses when exposed to sunlight.
July is UV Safety Month, and August is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month. These national health observances are key reminders about the importance of eye health and safety during the summer months and throughout the year.
Join us in helping spread the word about these issues and educating people on ways they can protect their eyesight.
The video clip below is taken from a patient education resource that can help in your efforts. It equips parents with the knowledge and skills to identify symptoms of vision performance and encourages professional evaluation.
W1182-W Child's Vision Performance
You can also take advantage of other Krames StayWell patient education products that cover a wide variety of eye care topics including cataracts, retina, conditions, treatments along with general vision problems and correction.
View and share this video clip along with your other education resources to help ensure a healthy and safe summer!
Posted by Bob Abrahamson on Wed, Jun 08, 2011 @ 06:31 AM
Many pundits agree that the root of the problem in our health care system is the fragmentation of services and communication. The problems of our fragmented health care system include:
- Avoidable readmissions as a result of incomplete or uncoordinated care transitions
- Duplication of medical tests which unnecessarily drives up costs
- Adverse drug reactions due to prescribing without a clear picture of current medications which is a huge safety issue.
In a nutshell, we see fragmentation as a root cause of quality and safety concerns and high costs of healthcare in the US. Hold a gun to my head (another safety issue) and ask me for a one word to explain why the high cost of care in the US does not correspond to the best outcomes in the developed world, my answer: fragmentation.
So, in order to address fragmentation, there are a lot of solutions that are on the table. And they are good ones (conceptually). And they are by no means mutually exclusive. If fact, some of them are codependent. Topping the hit parade are:
Health IT– Many refer to this as “foundational.” It makes sense. If we put in a solid, interoperable infrastructure that puts complete data at providers’ fingertips, will this not serve to avoid ordering duplicate tests and prescribing medications that will cause adverse interactions? I’m on board with this.
Accountable Care Organizations – This is a payment reform routed in coordinated care amongst providers. If the legal requirements are met (no small task) and the entities agree on how to share the savings, would an ACO also work to ensure that quality care is delivered in a coordinated, evidence-based fashion avoiding unnecessary costs. Theoretically, I have no arguments with this.
Carrots and Sticks – Pay4Performance from what I can see, is basically a carrot – follow guidelines and receive incentives. It’s based on the database of evidence and best practices not necessarily individual outcomes. The threatened withholding of reimbursements for readmissions within 30 days of discharge for specified conditions is a stick, but a disincentive that may work. These carrot and stick type programs can also have a positive impact.
I wouldn’t necessarily dismiss any of these approaches.
But, something fundamental to the equation is missing – THE PATIENT.
Sure EMRs may have patient portals and there are requirements for electronic delivery of discharge instructions and suggested patient education resources, but these are provider tools.
A big gap in the current accountable care proposal is that the patient can opt out of participating.
The carrots and sticks cannot work unless the patient is engaged in their care. Doing the A1C tests at the prescribed intervals isn’t going to help if the patient doesn’t understand how to manage his diabetes. Readmissions will not be avoided if a patient does not understand his self-care responsibilities.
The best strategies for combating fragmentation cannot work unless proper attention is given to patient engagement and activation. This cannot be done without effective patient education; patient education that takes into account a full suite of health literacy design principles; patient education that is understandable and actionable; patient education that improves self-efficacy and drives shared decision making and health self-management.
I would suggest that patient education might prove to be one of the most cost-effective and impactful, foundational strategies, that can be employed to transform our fragmented healthcare system by bringing the KEY stakeholder into the equation. Because, when you think about it, the patient is the constant, ever present player in the system. The patient is the glue. Strengthen the adhesive and we’ll be that much closer to combating fragmentation.
What role do you see Patient Education playing in the healthcare reform debate currently underway? Please share your thoughts below.
