PUTTING THE PIECES IN-PLACE - THE PATIENT EDUCATION PUZZLE

Patient education has always been an integral part of quality patient care. Effective patient education is a necessary component of patient satisfaction and has proven instrumental in decreasing hospital days w hile improving clinical outcomes. Joint Commission and state public he alth departments regard patient education as one of many organizationa l performance standards. To be effective, health education must be coo rdinated among all disciplines involved in the continuum of care. The Patient Family Educational Advisory Committee (PFEAC) directed its eff orts in identifying common patient education issues. The committee's i nitial work focused on areas dealing with culture, documentation and c ompetency.