Article on Faculty Development in Health Literacy...continued from page 1

...among older adults by preparing clinician leaders to identify issues and affect change in their practice, teaching and organizational processes.

With support from the Bureau of Health Professions (Health Resources and Services Administration) and the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation, the Carolina Geriatric Education Center is offering a multidisciplinary faculty development program in health literacy and aging. The long-term goal of this program is to broadly disseminate health literacy principles and contribute to improved patient outcomes. As a result of the program, individual participants will be able to:

• Communicate the impact of low health literacy on patient/client outcomes
• Demonstrate clarity, simplicity and cultural relevance in health communications with patients and/or clients
• Guide students and other learners in formulating clear health communications in providing care
• Identify health system barriers that add to the risk of negative outcomes and apply corrective actions to prevent, detect and/or correct them

This opportunity is being offered free to selected clinician leaders who work in health care or academic settings and teach patients, staff, community members or students. The program requires a commitment of approximately 30 hours over a six-month period, including individualized projects intended to foster integration of knowledge and practice. Continuing education credits will be provided. Participants are expected to commit to attendance and active participation in all sessions, completion of between session “self-learning” exercises, and application of lessons learned in their practice, teaching and organizational processes, as appropriate. Participants will also be invited to teach subsequent faculty development cohorts.

Sessions will be held off campus in Chapel Hill. Sessions will be largely case- and problem-based and highly interactive. Prior to the initial session, participants will complete an assessment of professional self-efficacy relative to health literacy and also define individual goals for the training experience.

Go to our detailed information about the Faculty Development in Health Literacy Program