RESOURCES
Health Literacy Provider Toolkit
Studies show that health illiteracy affects all of us at some time in our lives. People with low literacy, language barriers, lack of education, or the elderly or poor often face the most challenges in practicing healthy behaviors and navigating the healthcare system. However, even highly educated people when faced with a disturbing diagnosis, a chronic disease, or the anxiety associated with an unexplained pain can be affected by health illiteracy.
To support providers in improving the health literacy of their patients, the RIHLP developed a Health Literacy Provider Toolkit. The toolkit will give providers information, tips for communicating, and plain language materials on a variety of topics, which they can give to their patients.
The objective of the toolkit is to support better communication between consumers and providers, resulting in higher treatment compliance, fewer medication errors, and better utilization of healthcare services.
The RIHLP has devoted this first edition of the Health Literacy Provider Toolkit to address the topics of health literacy, advance directives, and cultural competency. As other topics are developed and sections are expanded in the future, we will update them here.
Click here for a 224 page PDF of the entire toolkit, or click on the links below for individual resources.
Information for Providers (toolkit pages 1- 20)
Patient Forms
Rhode Island Durable Power of Attorney (English)
Rhode Island Durable Power of Attorney (en Espanol)
Massachusetts Healthcare Proxy
Cultural Competency
Tips for Communicating Across Language Barriers
Non-Verbal Communication and Patient Care
Cultural Background (Special Topics)
Tips for Office Staff to Enhance Communication
Tips for Successful Patient Encounters
Tips for Locating Interpreter Services
10 Tips for Working with Interpreters
Physician Resources
Talking Points
Talking About End-of-Life Care and Advance Directives Across Cultures
Pain Management Across Cultures
Situational Quizzes
Advance Care Planning Situational Quiz
Pain Management Situational Quiz
Articles
Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion
Education for Physicians on End-of-Life Care (EPEC) materials
EPEC Plenary 3: Elements and Models of End-of-Life Care
Web Sites
End-of-Life and Palliative Care Web Sites
Patient Resources
Differences between the living will and the durable power of attorney
FAQ on durable power of attorney
Rhode Island Advance Directive: Planning for Important Healthcare Decisions (Caring Connections)
Put it in Writing: Questions and Answers on Advance Directives
Hospice Foundation of America brochure, Choosing Hospice
Click here to read an article by Tom Walsh about the Health Literacy Provider Toolkit and how it will help improve communication between doctors and patients.