Second Edition of the Health Literacy Toolkit

“The recently released AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, Second Edition can help primary care practices reduce the complexity of health care, increase patient understanding of health information and enhance support for patients of all health literacy levels. 

Only 12 percent of U.S. adults have the health literacy skills needed to manage the demands of our complex health care system, and anyone's ability to absorb and use health information can be compromised by stress or illness. Experts recommend assuming that everyone may have difficulty understanding in order to create an environment in which all patients can thrive. AHRQ's toolkit includes downloads like patient action plans, links to trainings and videos and guides for how to improve your practice.

Additional tools for improving health literacy can be found at Health Literacy Topics, AHRQ Pharmacy Health Literacy Center and at the Self-Management Support Video and Library.” [Source: AHRQ]

AHRQ’s Continuing Education Resources for Primary Care Practice

“Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers continuing education (CE) and continuing medical education (CME) videos and articles on a range of health care topics including patient safety and patient-centered outcomes research findings. The CE/CME activities summarize reviews of evidence on the effectiveness and safety of treatments and strategies for improving patient care. These resources provide health care providers with skills and information to support individual decision making and patient management. Click here to access these resources.” [Source: AHRQ]

Sign up today for EvidenceNOW Southwest (AHRQ opportunity) - applications accepted on first come-first serve basis!

"EvidenceNOW Southwest  is one of seven regional cooperatives funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to provide quality improvement services to small primary care practices, with 10 or fewer providers. EvidenceNOW Southwest will serve up to 260 practices: 208 in Colorado and 52 in New Mexico. Applications will be reviewed weekly and practices will be notified within two weeks whether they have been accepted. Practices will be accepted on a first come-first served basis. *Note: this opportunity excludes pediatric-only clinics.

Participating practices will receive nine months of practice facilication to develop customized approaches that address:

• Workflow analysis
• Office efficiency
• EHR optimization and measures reporting
• Patient engagement, care management and coordination

ClinicNET is pleased to be a partner in the network of practice transformation providers through the Colorado Health Extension System (CHES) and to be considered as a resource to you if you determine this EvidenceNOW Southwest opportunity is right for you. We encourage you to reach out to Cathryn directly if you have any questions or need help filling out the application! *Please let Cathryn Benedict (cathryn.benedict@clinicnet.org) know if you checked ClinicNET as a practice transformation partner in the application. 

Click here for more information. To apply: http://iurl.no/i2i50. *Please note you have an option of start dates: Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, and Spring 2017.

If you have any questions regarding the study or application process please contact: Allyson Gottsman at AllysonGottsman@ucdenver.edu." [Source: Colorado Health Extension System]

AHRQ: Health Literacy Interventions and Outcomes – free resource

“The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a new resource on health literacy interventions and outcomes. Access to the FREE topic brief and to obtain continuing education credit at no cost, visit http://goo.gl/xHlSO8

Overall Learning Purpose/Goal: The goal of the monograph is to review health care service use and health outcomes related to differences in health literacy level, as well as interventions designed to improve these outcomes for individuals with low health literacy. Disparities in health outcomes and effectiveness of interventions among different sociodemographic groups are also examined.

Target Audience: primary care physicians (PCPs), including family practice physicians, specialists (e.g., oncologists, gastroenterologists, infectious disease specialists, nutritionists), pharmacists, physician assistants, allied health professionals, occupational and physical therapists, nurse practitioners, nurses, case managers, and health educators.” [Source: AHRQ]

Free Diabetes Patient “Videonovela” DVD in Spanish

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is offering medical providers with Spanish-speaking type 2 diabetes patients free copies of a DVD of its new Aprende a vivir videonovela. Using telenovela-style drama, Aprende a vivir tells the story of Don Felipe, head of the Jiménez family, and his health problems caused by poor management of his type 2 diabetes The videonovela supports clinicians in getting their Spanish-speaking people type 2 diabetes patients to adhere to their medication, dietary, and exercise instructions. To view the videonovela, go to http://healthcare411.org/aprendeavivir.aspx. or AHRQ's Spanish-language Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/AHRQehc.espanol.

Providers interested in obtaining the DVD only or a kit with the DVD plus AHRQ patient brochures in Spanish that compare oral diabetes medications as well as treatments for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol should contact bob.isquith@ahrq.hhs.gov.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Purpose and Demonstration of the Health IT Hazard Manager and Next Steps

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has identified a gap in a health care/public health practitioner’s competency within the health IT environment. This webinar is designed to increase practitioners’ competencies in several areas: improving health care decision making; supporting patient-centered care; and enhancing the quality and safety of medication management by improving the ability to identify, categorize, and resolve health IT hazards.

Date: June 11, 2012
Time: 12:30-2pm MTN
Click here to register