INNOVATIVE SYSTEM TO IMPROVE USE OF PATIENT EDUCATION MATERIALS

OBJECTIVE To evaluate a new storage system for patients education mate rials. DESIGN Anonymous surveys before and after implementation of new storage system. SETTING Family medicine residency teaching centre. PA RTICIPANTS All nurses, staff doctors, and first- and second-year resid ents in the unit. INTERVENTIONS Implementation of a new storage system for patient education materials, orientation of all health profession als in the unit to the new system, and periodic distribution of patien t education newsletters. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported use of pa tient education materials. RESULTS Response rates were 73% (30 of 41 h ealth professionals) in 1990 and 86% (36 of 42) in 1992. Responses to the first survey on use of 20 categories of patient education material s showed materials were seldom used by most respondents. Back Care, Nu trition, Diabetes, VD/Birth Control, and Pregnancy categories were the most frequently used. In the second survey, more respondents reported using these five categories of pamphlets. Rates of use varied only sl ightly for the remaining 15 categories. CONCLUSIONS Health professiona ls reported more frequent use of certain patient education materials f ollowing implementation of a new storage system.