Helen Osborne

Talking about Patient Education Practice Guidelines for Health Professionals (HLOL #210)

April 1, 2021 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Sarah Christensen

Carolyn Cutilli

Carolyn Cutilli, PhD, RN is past president of the Health Care Education Association (HCEA) and co-chair of HCEA’s

Patient Education Guidelines work group. She also is a patient education specialist at Penn Medicine and adjunct professor of nursing research and health policy at American International College. Cutilli writes and speaks about many aspects of health communication, including geriatric health literacy.

Sarah Christensen, MA is director of Patient Education at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. With over 20 years of patient education experience, Christensen provides institutional oversight regarding health literacy and educational resources. She is the co-chair of HCEA’s Patient Education Guidelines work group.

In this podcast Cutilli and Christensen talk with Helen Osborne about a new resource that they and a team created, Patient Education Practice Guidelines for Health Care Professionals. Topics include:

The term “patient education” refers to a process of interactions and conversations about health topics between professionals of all disciplines and patients, their families, and many others.
Patient Education Practice Guidelines for Health Care Professionals is intended as a clear, concise, evidence-based guide to delivering education as part of patient-centered care. It is a free resource.
Practice guidelines in this guide are structured within a framework of APIE (Assessment, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation). Cutilli and Christensen share examples from each of these essential elements.

More ways to learn:

Health Care Education Association (HCEA)
Patient Education Practice Guidelines for Health Care Professionals.
Guidelines Quick Guide
Essentials of Patient Education, Second Edition. By Susan B. Bastable, EdD, MEd, RN. Jones & Bartlett Publishing, 2017.
Health Literacy Discussion List, hosted by IHA

Read the transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Clinical practice, Patient education Tagged With: patient education

Telemedicine: Communicating About Health by Phone or 2-Way Video (HLOL #209)

March 1, 2021 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Cliff Coleman M.D., M.P.H. is an Associate Professor of Family Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Coleman practices as a family medicine physician at a Federally Qualified Health Center. His clinical interests include treating medically complex individuals and underserved populations. Dr. Coleman is also a national health literacy expert. His ongoing research and teaching help lead the way toward health literacy competencies for all health professionals.

In this podcast, Dr. Cliff Coleman talks with Helen Osborne about:

A new era of delivering healthcare at a distance brought on by necessity during COVID-19.
Telemedicine benefits and drawbacks for patients, practitioners, and populations.
Lessons learned about effective communication. These include ways to establish a mutual agenda, encourage conversational turn-taking, discuss potentially awkward topics, and confirm understanding at the conclusion of telemedicine visits.

More ways to learn:

“Health Literacy and Clear Communication Best Practices for Telemedicine” by Cliff Coleman MD, MPH. Posted on November 10, 2020 in HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice.
“Telehealth Guidance and Resources” from the American College of Physicians (ACP).
“Talking about Interactive Health Literacy & Oral Communication (HLOL #35),” a Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Donald Rubin, PhD.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 24, “Listening and Speaking.”

Read a transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Technology, Video Tagged With: COVID, pandemic, telemedicine

Health Literacy Model with Multiple Variables and Actions (HLOL #208)

February 1, 2021 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Dr. Rima Rudd has been a member of the faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for over 30 years. Her work focuses on community health, inequities, and literacy related barriers to health information, services, and care. Dr. Rudd is one of the founders of, and leaders in, health literacy studies.

In this podcast, Rima Rudd talks with Helen Osborne about:

An expanded health literacy model that includes multiple variables and actions. These include skills, texts, tasks, and contexts.
Why and how this model applies to practitioners, researchers, and the lay public.
Examples of ways that listeners of all professions and in a variety of settings can use this model to meet today’s health communication challenges.

More ways to learn:

Context: HLE2. A tool to assess the health literacy environment of hospitals and health centers. Found under “Strategies and Tools” on the health literacy web site of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Healthhsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy
Policy: Kleinman, Baur, Rudd, Rubin (2019). “Health Literacy, Issue briefs to inform development and implementation of Healthy People 2030.” USDHHS. Learn more at https://www.healthypeople.gov/sites/default/files/HP2030_Committee-Combined-Issue%20Briefs_2019-508c.pdf
Expanded Model: Rudd (2019). “Health literacy considerations for a new cancer prevention Initiative.” The Gerontologist 59(Supplement 1). S7-16. Available at https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/59/Supplement_1/S7/5491129
Environmental Health Literacy: Simonds, Margetts, Rudd (2019). “Expanding Environmental Health Literacy – A focus on Water Quality and Tribal Lands.” Journal of health communication 24 (3), 236-243. Abstract at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10810730.2019.1597948?journalCode=uhcm20
Math: Rudd, R. E. 2016. “Numbers get in the way.” Commentary, National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. http://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Numbers-Get-In-the-Way.pdf

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Many chapters of this book relate to this podcast, including “About Health Literacy”that focuses on how health literacy got started and why it remains as important today.

Read a transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: About Health Literacy, All HLOL podcasts, Health literacy and health care policy Tagged With: contexts, health literacy model, skills, tasks, texts

Pictograms: Images that Represent Ideas in Simple and Literal Ways (HLOL #207)

January 1, 2021 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Mareika Phillips is an experienced graphic designer. Now at Communicate Health, she leads the team that develops creative design solutions to make health information engaging and accessible. Phillips believes deeply in design as a universal language and focuses her work on making design accessible for all people.

In this podcast, Mareika Phillips talks with Helen Osborne about:

How pictograms help many people understand health concepts. Including those who are stressed, have reading difficulties, or learn visually.
What to consider when creating or choosing pictograms. With tips about characters, colors, symbols, and using a consistent style.
Why and how to convey empathy through visuals in health materials.

More ways to learn:

CommunicateHealth is an award-winning team of content and usability experts who design and simplify health information. Sign up to receive their weekly newsletter, we heart health literacy.
“Teaching with Pictures,” an article about pictographs by Helen Osborne published in the Boston Globe’s On Call

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 38, “Visuals.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts

Designing Online Instructional Programs (HLOL #206)

December 1, 2020 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Mark Hagerty is an instructional designer, learning specialist, and medical editor. He has built online training programs that teach thousands of students. Many of these focus on scientific and medical topics. Hagerty’s work includes creating continuing education courses, editing scientific documents, and preparing customized visual presentations as the owner of Biomedical Writing Services, LLC.

In this podcast, Mark Hagerty talks with Helen Osborne about:

Online instruction formats including live or recorded webinars, web-based training sessions, and other technology-based tools to teach remotely.
Ways to design programs whether for professionals, patients, or the public.
Tips and examples for organizing information, creating slides, writing text, and otherwise creating instructive and informative online programs on a budget.

More ways to learn:

Mark Hagerty’s freelance business, Biomedical Writing Services. You can also email him at mark@biomedicalwritingservices.com or contact him through LinkedIn.
American Medical Writers Association (AMWA)
“Plain Language: It’s About Smartening Up, Not Dumbing Down (HLOL #179).” Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Karen Schriver, PhD.
To learn more about instructional design, start with these resources:
- Association for Talent Development (ATD)
- Learning Guild.
- Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions (ACEHP) for developing Continuing Medical Education courses.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 32, “Teaching and Learning.”

Read the transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Technology Tagged With: instructional design, online teaching

Online Games and Health Teaching: For People of All Ages, Abilities, and Savvy (HLOL #205)

November 1, 2020 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Nick Bowman Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the College of Media and Communication at Texas Tech University. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts on the uses and effects of video games and other interactive media. Bowman is the incoming editor of Journal of Media Psychology and completed a Fulbright program in Taiwan studying persuasive applications of virtual reality.

In this podcast, Nick Bowman talks with Helen Osborne about:

Online games. There are many types–all sharing the basics of rules and goals.
People of all ages, abilities, and levels of techno-savvy can benefit from online games. These include managing stress, improving cognitive abilities, and opportunities for interaction and socialization.
Games as tools for health communication. Examples include exercise programs, health education, and digital interventions to improve focus and concentration.

More ways to learn:

Journal of Media Psychology
Media and Communication
“Editorial: Video Games as Demanding Technologies,” by Bowman ND, Media and Communication Vol 7, No 4, 2019.
“Video Games for Well-Being: A Systematic Review on the Application of Computer Games for Cognitive and Emotional Training in the Adult Population,” by Pallavicini F, Ferrari A, Mantovani F. Published in Frontiers in Psychology, Nov 2018.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 36, “Technology: Interactive Media.”

Read the transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Multimedia, Technology Tagged With: Gaming, interactive multimedia

Writing Legal Notices to Help Readers Act in Their Best Interest (HLOL #204)

October 15, 2020 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Barbra Kingsley, PhD is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of the Kingsley-Kleimann Group and Chair of the Center for Plain Language. Barbra Kingsley is an expert in information design and plain language with a deep understanding of how individuals, particularly vulnerable populations, use print and online information. She believes that clear communication not only invites understanding but also breaks down barriers so that all people can thrive.

In this podcast, Barbra Kingsley talks with Helen Osborne about:

Legal notices and readability. Why contracts, privacy notices, and other such documents can be very hard for most readers to understand and act on.
Plain language is more than wording. It also includes a document’s structure, design, and use of numbers.
Recommendations about how to create and test plain language materials—even when working with limited time and tight budgets.

More ways to learn:

Center for Plain Language. Includes “Five Steps to Plain Language” with a definition of plain language and a 5-step checklist to guide you through the process.
Kingsley-Kleimann Group. “No one knows plain language like we do.”
PIAAC Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies.
“Plain Language: It’s About Smartening Up, Not Dumbing Down (HLOL #179).” Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Karen Schriver PhD.
“Making a Business Case for Plain Language (HLOL #84).” Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with attorney Joseph Kimble.
“Honing Your Usability Testing Skills.” Includes helpful techniques for testing (even on a budget) from expert Ginny Redish.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 28, “Plain Language.”

Read the transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Written materials Tagged With: equitable information, legal documents, Plain language

Health Literacy and Health Equity (HLOL #203)

October 1, 2020 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Janet Ohene-Frempong MS, is a plain language and cross-cultural communications consultant with decades of experience in patient/provider communications. Her accomplishments are many. They include leading workshops, keynoting conferences, writing and editing plain language projects, and consulting with a wide range of clients on health-related topics. Janet Ohene-Frempong has deservedly received numerous accolades and awards for her excellent work.

In this podcast, Janet Ohene-Frempong talks with Helen Osborne about:

Health literacy is not only about communicating in ways that others can understand but also including skills, actions, and other information to help people stay alive and live as well as possible.
Health equity is about giving everyone the same chance regardless of their skin color, money, education, living situation, and other life experiences.
Tips and strategies for communicating about health in equitable ways. This goes beyond clarity to include crafting messages with the audience in mind, being nonjudgmental, and considering people’s situational realities. In other words, being “open to their otherness.”

More ways to learn:

“Explainer: what is systemic racism and institutional racism?” From The Conversation website.
“Len & Ceci Doak Discuss Health Literacy’s Past, Present, and Future (HLOL #13), Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Len & Ceci Doak who helped lead the way to health literacy.
Archie Willard Talks About Struggling to Read (HLOL #187).” Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Archie Willard, who didn’t learn to read until he was 54 years old and diagnosed with severe dyslexia.
“Communicating About Food in Culturally Sensitive Ways (HLOL #159).” Health Literacy Out Loud podcast interview with Janet Ohene-Frempong who, among her many “health literacy hats,” also has a background as a dietitian.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 41, “You: Empathy and Humanity.”

Read the transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: About Health Literacy, All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Health literacy and health care policy, Health Literacy Month, Patient education, Public health Tagged With: health equity, social justice

Communicating Complex Health Messages in a Complex World (HLOL #202)

September 1, 2020 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Glen Nowak Ph.D. is Professor of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and Director of the Grady College Center for Health and Risk Communication. Nowak has provided senior-level leadership on communicating about topics that include infectious disease, public health risks, and immunizations for government agencies, public health programs, and research projects. These include the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the International Association of National Public Health Institutes. Glen Nowak has also authored, or co-authored. numerous peer-review journal articles.

In this podcast, Glen Nowak talks with Helen Osborne about:

Why it so complicated to communicate public health messages. With issues that include uncertainty, competing priorities, and ever-changing recommendations.
Ways to address myths, hype, and hearsay that might conflict with core messages.
How to learn about and address the interests and needs of your audience. In other words, “Seeing the world through their eyes.”

More ways to learn:

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Especially relevant to this podcast is Chapter 13, “Talking with Patients About What They Learn from the Media.”

Read the transcript of this podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Health literacy and health care policy, Public health, Risk communication, Social media Tagged With: COVID-19, media, myths, public health

Press Ganey’s CEO Talks about Analyzing Sentiments to Improve Healthcare Quality (HLOL #43)

August 10, 2010 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Rick Siegrist is the CEO of Press Ganey – a worldwide company that helps more than 10,000 healthcare organizations measure and improve the quality of their care. For many years, Press Ganey learned about the patient experience mostly through satisfaction surveys. Now it is learning even more by analyzing the sentiments (comments) that patients write on these surveys.

Looking at satisfaction data along with patients’ sentiments is proving to be an effective way of understanding many aspects of the patient’s experience, including health communication.

In this podcast, Rick Siegrist talks about:

Using satisfaction surveys to learn about and improve healthcare quality.
Analyzing sentiments – a way to translate human emotion into hard data.
Bridging sentiments, satisfaction and health communication in your practice.

More Ways to Learn:

Press Ganey: Partners In Improvement, at http://pressganey.com
“Mining the Web for Feelings, Not Facts” by Alex Wright, New York Times, August 23, 2009. Available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/technology/internet/24emotion.html

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 4, 6, 27.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Health literacy and health care policy, Patient perspective Tagged With: patient experience, Press Ganey, satisfaction

Domenic Screnci Talks About Visual Literacy (HLOL #9)

January 26, 2009 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Domenic Screnci, Ed.D. is the Executive Director for Educational Media and Technology at Boston University. He also co-directs Boston University’s new online Master of Science Health Communications Program. Dr. Screnci has 30 years experience in the field of biocommunications and serves as an educational technologist, instructional systems designer and integrator, instructional designer and a producer of curriculum materials for traditional and new media based educational projects.

In this Health Literacy Out Loud podcast, he talks with Helen Osborne about visual literacy. Topics include:

What visual literacy is and how it relates to health literacy
Ways visual literacy helps readers interact with information
How to adapt visuals to meet the needs of specific audiences

More ways to learn:

International Visual Literacy Association, http://www.ivla.org
Visual Learning, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_learning
Visual Literacy, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_learning
Information Design, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_design
Target ClearRX (click” Meet the Inspiration” to read more about the pill bottle), http://sites.target.com/site/en/health/page.jsp?contentId=PRD03-003977
Edward Tufte – Presenting Data and Information Books and Workshop, http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/index

Books & articles:

Burmark, L. (2002) Visual Literacy: Learn to See, See to Learn.
Clark, R.C. & Lyons, C. (2004). Graphics for Learning.
Doak, C.C., Doak, L.G., Root, J.H., 1996. Teaching Patients with Low Literacy Skills (2nd ed.). (Chapter 7: Visuals and How to Use Them). http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/doak.html
Gangwer, Timothy Patrick (2nd Edition out Feb. 15, 2009) Visual Impact, Visual Teaching: Using Images to Strengthen Learning
Hodgdon, L. A. (1995). Visual Strategies For Improving Communications: Practical Support for Home and School.
Lambert, David and Browning Wroe, Jo (2008) Visual Literacy (Bk. 1) Lipton, R. (2002). Designing Across Cultures: How to Create Effective Graphics for Diverse Ethnic Groups.
Lohr, Linda L. (2007) Creating Graphics for Learning and Performance: Lessons in Visual Literacy (2nd Edition)
“Thoughts on Visual Literacy,” http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/healthliteracy/doak.html
“Visual Literacy in Higher Education,” http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI4001.pdf
“Information Design: It is all in the process,” http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI4001.pdf

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Graphics, Public health Tagged With: health communication, information design, visual literacy

Communicating with People Who Have Cancer (HLOL #8)

January 12, 2009 by Helen Osborne 2 Comments

This Health Literacy Out Loud podcast is like a patchwork quilt, pieced together with many tips and strategies for communicating effectively with people who have cancer. I recorded it at a meeting of Virginia’s Cancer Planning Action Coalition (CPAC) which met in Charlottesville, VA on November 20, 2008. I had the honor of being a keynote speaker at this conference.

In this podcast, Helen Osborne talks with several CPAC conference participants about their tips for good health communication:

Sharon Dwyer talks about the power of stories. She highlights how stories can help remove fear, motivate people, and provide support and human connection.
Susan Seidler speaks about reaching out to seniors in the community. She also highlights ways to improve communication with seniors, in person and in print.
Michael Pyles, PhD highlights the value of community partnerships, cultural diversity, and how listening is key to action.
Melanie Dempsey BS, RT(R)(T), CMD discusses the importance of teamwork and how each professional helps with education. She also talks about how stress affects patients’ understanding
Laura Humbertson MS discusses how information and resources help empower patients.
Donna Moore RN speaks about her work as a Nurse Navigator. This includes listening to patient’s fears, finding and knocking down barriers, and giving patients hope.

More ways to learn:

Virginia’s Cancer Planning Action Coalition, http://www.virginiacpac.org/pages/about.html
Osborne, H. “In Other Words…When Providers Are Patients,” On Call magazine, July 24, 2007. Available at http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=6340
Osborne, H. “In Other Words… Communicating When Naked: My Perspective as a Patient,” On Call magazine, May/June 2006.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Patient perspective Tagged With: health communication, patient-centered care

Andrew Krueger MD talks about health literacy and management of chronic disease (HLOL #7)

December 15, 2008 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Andrew Krueger, M.D. is the Medical Director for Accordant Health Services (a division of CVS Caremark Corporation). His responsibilities include directing and supporting Health Management Medical Affairs, providing medical leadership to numerous projects and committees, and serving as the senior clinician providing guidance for Accordant’s disease management programs.

In this podcast, he talks with Helen Osborne about health literacy and management of chronic disease. Topics include:

What disease management programs are and why health literacy matters
Ways to communicate with patients including by telephone, mail, and the Web
How helping patients understand their conditions can improve health outcomes

More ways to learn:

Osborne, H. “In Other Words…Confirming Understanding With the Teach-Back Technique,” On Call magazine, November 20, 2007. Available at http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=6714
Osborne H, 2004. Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett. To order, go to most online bookstores or the publisher’s website at http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745502/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Doctor-patient relationship, Health literacy and health care policy, Patient education Tagged With: health communication, learning and teaching, patient education, patient engagement, patient-centered care

Lee Joesten Talks About Generating Hospital-Wide Interest & Activity About Health Literacy (HLOL #6)

December 1, 2008 by Helen Osborne Leave a Comment

Leroy (Lee) B. Joesten is Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care at Lutheran General Hospital, part of Advocate Health Care in the Chicagoland area. He is an ordained Lutheran minister and certified hospital chaplain. Chaplain Joesten has developed ministries for the bereaved and those facing life threatening and terminal illnesses. He also has chaired Lutheran General’s Health Literacy Task Force since 2003.

In this podcast, he talks with Helen Osborne about generating hospital-wide interest and activity about health literacy. Topics include:

Why health literacy is important to address hospital-wide
Health literacy strategies, initiatives, and lessons learned
Wishes and vision for the future in terms of health literacy

More ways to learn:

Lee Joesten. You can reach him by email at Lee.Joesten@advocatehealth.com
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, http://www.advocatehealth.com
American Medical Association Foundation’s Health Literacy Kit, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/9913.html
Ask Me 3 (initiative to help patients ask questions), http://www.npsf.org/askme3/

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 4, 11, 27, 41.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Communication strategies, Health literacy and health care policy, Patient education Tagged With: health literacy strategies

Jan Potter Talks about Using Humor & Graphics to Convey Health Information (HLOL #5)

November 17, 2008 by Helen Osborne 2 Comments

Jan Potter is a communications specialist with the Partnership for Health and Accountability, a division of the Georgia Hospital Association. Among her many accomplishments, Jan designed a bulletin board system on a variety of health education topics. These bulletin boards are free for others to download and use. In addition, Jan works on a wide range of projects, newsletters, and websites. Her most recent is an online toolkit to promote tobacco-free hospital campuses in Georgia.

In this Health Literacy Out Loud podcast, she talks with Helen Osborne about using humor and graphics to convey health information. Topics include:

How bulletin boards help draw attention to important health information
Ways to use color, humor, and graphics to engage and empower patients
Tips to create your own bulletin boards or build on what others have done

More ways to learn:

CDC Public Health Image Library: http://phil.cdc.gov/phil/home.asp
Georgia Hospital Association’s (GHA) Partnership for Health and Accountability: www.gha.org/pha
GHA Bulletin Board index: http://www.gha.org/pha/resources/bulletinboards/index.asp
GHA Tobacco-Free Campus Toolkit: http://www.gha.org/pha/Community/TobaccoFree/Toolkit/index.asp
Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Online catalogue: http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html
Osborne, H. “In Other Words…Using Humor and Graphics to Convey Healthcare Essentials.” On Call Magazine, October 2007. http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=6628

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 38, 40.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Clinical practice, Graphics, Patient education, Public health Tagged With: bulletin boards, graphics, Humor

Lisa Bernstein Talks about Patient-Centered Communication (HLOL #4)

November 3, 2008 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Lisa Bernstein is Executive Director and Co-founder of the What to Expect Foundation based in New York City. This non-profit organization takes its name and leadership from the best selling pregnancy guide What to Expect When You’re Expecting. The Foundation helps low-income, at-risk parents expect healthier pregnancies, safer deliveries, and happier babies. One of Lisa’s many responsibilities is directing the “Baby Basics Prenatal Health Literacy Program.”

In this Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast, she talks with Helen Osborne about using patient-centered communication to reach communities. Topics include:

Baby Basics: Why this easy-to-read pregnancy guide was created and ways to use it in practice.
How lessons learned from Baby Basics apply to many health situations including teaching about diabetes, smoking cessation and hypertension.
Ways to evaluate and use simply-written materials in context of a person’s life and community.

More ways to learn:

What to Expect Foundation website includes information about the book Baby Basics. Available at http://www.whattoexpect.org. You can reach Lisa Bernstein by email at lisab@whattoexpect.org
Health Literacy Out Loud (audio CD). Helen Osborne talks with Lisa Bernstein about Creating and Using Excellent Written Materials. Available at http://www.healthliteracy.com/buy.asp?PageID=3672
Osborne, H. “In Other Words… Helping Patients Ask Questions.” On Call Magazine, November/December 2006. This article includes quotes from Lisa Bernstein. Available at http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=5179
Osborne H, 2004. Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett. To order, go to most online bookstores or the publisher’s website at http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745502/
Zarcadoolas C, Pleasant AF, Greer DS, 2006. Advancing Health Literacy: A Framework for Understanding and Action. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 24, 27, 28, 32, 41.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Clinical practice, Oral (spoken) communication, Patient education, Public health, Written materials Tagged With: Baby Basics, pregnancy, prenatal

Archie Willard Talks about Struggling to Read (HLOL #3)

October 20, 2008 by Helen Osborne 4 Comments

Archie Willard is an ardent and articulate advocate for health literacy. He chairs health literacy workshops and participates in health literacy programs run by organizations including the Iowa Health System, American Medical Association, and the Joint Commission. In addition, Archie is a guest speaker at health literacy conferences across the United States. But he also didn’t learn to read until he was 54 years old. Update: Archie Willard died in 2017. He was in his mid-80s.

Archie Willard talks with Helen Osborne about:

Growing up as a non-reader
Learning to read as an adult
How reading problems affect health understanding
Ways we all can help

More ways to learn:

Ask Me 3 (initiative to help patients ask questions), available at http://www.npsf.org/askme3
American Medical Association Foundation’s “Health Literacy Kit” available at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/9913.html
Osborne, H. “In Other Words… Healthcare Communication From an Adult Learner’s Perspective.” On Call Magazine, April, 2004. Available at http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=3749
Osborne, H. “Health and Literacy Working Together: A Health Literacy Conference for New Readers & Health Professionals.” This report highlights a very important meeting of adult learners and health professionals in 2004. Available at http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=7493

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 1, 3, 21, 27, 31, 41.

Read the transcript of this podcast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Patient education, Patient perspective Tagged With: adult learners, adult literacy, literacy

Mache Seibel Talks about Using Music and Song (HLOL #2)

October 6, 2008 by Helen Osborne 1 Comment

Mache Seibel, MD educates people about health and wellness. Some days his tools are a stethoscope and prescription pad. Other days, they include a microphone and guitar. Dr. Seibel is a practicing physician and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA. He also is known as “Doc Rock,” a composer and performer who records music with health messages as part of his business, HealthRock.

In this Health Literacy Out Loud podcast, Dr. Seibel talks with Helen Osborne about using music and song as a tool of health communication. Topics include:

How music and song stimulates the brain
Ways clinicians (even non-musical ones) can use music
Songs with health messages for all people of all ages
Music as entertainment, education, and call to action

Mache Seibel sings most of the songs on this Health Literacy Out Loud podcast. His daughter, Sherry Seibel, sings “Mirror Set Me Free.” To hear more or order the full versions, please go to the HealthRock website at http://www.healthrock.com

More ways to learn:

Huron, D. “Science & Music: Lost in music.” Nature 453; 22 May 2008.
Osborne, H. “In Other Words…Using Music and Song as Tools of Health Communication.” On Call Magazine, March 24, 2008. Available at http://www.boston.com/jobs/healthcare/oncall/ and http://www.healthliteracy.com/article.asp?PageID=719
Peterson DA, Thaut MH. “Music increases frontal EEG coherence during verbal learning.” 2006; 412(3):217-221. Neuroscience Letters
Seibel MM. “Health through music and song” Sexuality Reproduction & Menopause. 2006; 4(2):46-47.

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 40, 41.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: All HLOL podcasts, Clinical practice Tagged With: music, song

Adam Weiss Talks about Podcasting (HLOL #1)

September 22, 2008 by Helen Osborne 2 Comments

Adam Weiss is a successful educational podcaster and podcast consultant. An expert interviewer and communicator, he aims to show that podcasting is more about story, presentation, and technique than fancy gear and tech toys.

He was the creator and of the popular Current Science & Technology Podcast for the Museum of Science in Boston, which he hosted for more than two years. He has also created the critically acclaimed Boston Behind the Scenes Podcast as well as the newly-launched Puzzle Podcast.

In this Health Literacy Out Loud podcast, Adam Weiss talks with Helen Osborne about:

What podcasts are
How people can access and download podcasts
Why podcasts are an emerging and important tool of communication

More ways to learn:

Boston Behind the Scenes, http://www.bostonbehindthescenes.com
PodCamp Boston, http://www.podcampboston.org
iTunes store, http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/

Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Second Edition (Updated 2018), by Helen Osborne. Relevant chapters include: 33, 40, 42.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Filed Under: About Health Literacy, All HLOL podcasts, Patient perspective, Technology Tagged With: health literacy podcasts, podcasts