Eyeworld

EW NEWS & OPINION 24 December 2016 by Vanessa Caceres EyeWorld Contributing Writer authors had the revised handouts scored by two glaucoma specialists and reviewed during one-to-one interviews with glaucoma patients. After revision, the materials' av- erage reading level went from 10 to 6.4; they also improved for content, literacy demand, layout and type, Revising materials As a second part of their study, the authors collected evidence-based guidelines on writing easy-to-read patient education materials and used the guidelines to evaluate and rewrite glaucoma patient educa- tion handouts at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. Study "The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends that patient educa- tion materials should be written at a sixth- to seventh-grade reading level … to make them accessible for patients with low health literacy," the authors wrote. In fact, a 2003 analysis from the National Assessment of Adult Lit- eracy found that 36% of American adults have only basic or below basic levels of health literacy, according to the authors. "Low health literacy is associated with billions of dollars in additional healthcare costs and poor health outcomes," they wrote. This can include negative effects on quality of life, poor medication adherence, worsened visual field loss, and a lower understanding of glaucoma. The authors addressed bro- chures from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), which were revised in 2008 to make them easier to read. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level for those AAO materials was 8.3, or an eighth-grade reading level. However, the AAO once again revised its brochures in 2014 so that the materials are between a fifth- and eighth-grade reading level, and they also have an improved font and format for those with low vision, according to the study and an AAO press release. Issues of comprehension and health literacy can affect quality of life and outcomes A re patients really under- standing their health education materials? If the results of a new study are any indication, the answer is no. Ophthalmic patient education materials are often written at a level that is too high for many to understand, according to the study, published in BMC Ophthalmology. 1 The study authors completed a PubMed/MEDLINE database search for work that evaluated the readabil- ity level of ophthalmic patient edu- cation materials. They identified 13 studies that analyzed 950 education- al materials. The materials included eye medication inserts, webpages, educational brochures, and in- formational leaflets. The median Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level readabili- ty score was 11, which referred to an 11th-grade reading level. The high- est reading level, 12.9, came from glaucoma medication inserts. Other research has found that glaucoma medication inserts tend to have a higher reading level. Education materials often tough for patients to understand continued on page 26 • Managers telling staff daily, reminding workers in the course of the clinic about values and priorities • Administrators reinforcing the importance of collaboration at all general staff meetings • Managing partners emphasizing "team first" ahead of individual or departmental goals, and re- inforcing management's efforts to serve the overall practice's interests 2. Train managers to consistently emphasize the importance of broad teamwork over individual efforts. Provide your managers with examples to share with their department. In Corinne's early days as a hospital administrator, there were constant battles be- tween the nursing and the house- keeping departments. Nursing felt Ms. Wohl is president of C. Wohl & Associates Inc., a practice management consulting firm. She earned her Masters of Health Ser- vices Administration degree at George Washington University and has more than 30 years of hospital and physician practice management expertise. Ms. Wohl can be contacted at czwohl@gmail. com or 609-410-2932. Mr. Pinto is president of J. Pinto & Associates Inc., an ophthalmic practice management consulting firm established in 1979, with offices in San Diego. His latest ASCRS•ASOA book, Simple: The Inner Game of Ophthalmic Practice Success, is now available at www.asoa. org. Mr. Pinto can be contacted at pintoinc@aol. com or 619-223-2233. About the authors Turf continued from page 22 superior and sometimes created barriers for housekeeping to get their work done. Yet for patient satisfaction, it didn't matter how excellent the nursing care was if the patients were disappoint- ed and reported that the floors looked dirty. This is one example of how patient care teams must work together, sometimes in unex- pected ways. 3. Use managers' meetings (which should be bi-weekly) as formal problem-solving sessions. These meetings provide an excellent opportunity for team building. A bit of management magic occurs when you ask managers to offer opinions on things outside of their own area. If encouraged, they tend to offer objective, cre- ative observations and solutions. If the administrator running the meeting helps guide this pro- cess, the immediate problems get solved faster, and it demonstrates at each meeting the benefits of teamwork. 4. Be collaborative in your decision- making at all levels, with everyone involved in the issue. When you have a multi-disciplinary problem to solve, assemble representatives from each department that the issue touches. This way there is no suspicion raised by those not invited, and you avoid expanding any existing turf war. 5. Effective listening is essential for clear communication. Listen to feedback and solve the long-term problems that are creating the barriers and boundaries that lead to turf wars. EW 7 tips for easier-to-understand patient education materials These tips are taken from the study by Dr. Rosdahl and co-authors. 1. Focus on two to three key concepts. 2. Use only words well-known to individuals without medical training. 3. Keep information within the range of a sixth- to eighth- grade reading level. 4. Use short paragraphs and an active voice. 5. Use words like you instead of the patient. 6. Use bulleted lists instead of blocks of text to make information more readable. 7. In visual presentations, use illustrations and photos with concise captions, and use print large enough for your target audience.

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