Gail A. Nielsen, BSHCA, RTR, Clinical Performance Improvement Education Administrator, Iowa Health System

      This interactive session will describe the reality gap in the current health care system for the 90 million US adults who struggle to understand what we say and give them to read in health care settings. Drawing on the experience of Iowa Health System and the research of the American Medical Association Roundtable on Patient Safety and Health Literacy, participants will discuss red flags for patient understanding and begin planning to apply strategies and tools in their care setting.
      After this presentation you will be able to:

• Discuss how current patient education materials and processes may underachieve.
• Identify strategies and tools for improving patient understanding.
• Develop a strategic approach for addressing health literacy.
• Discuss strategies for involving patients, especially adult learners, in organizational efforts to address health literacy.