Return-Path: <root> Received: (from root@localhost) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) id f7VBrbT09761 for health-archive@nifl.gov; Fri, 31 Aug 2001 07:53:37 -0400 (EDT) Resent-Message-Id: <200108311153.f7VBrbT09761@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from mail3.megamailservers.com ([216.251.36.13]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with ESMTP id f36HClg10725 for <nifl-health@nifl.gov>; Fri, 6 Apr 2001 13:12:47 -0400 (EDT) Received: from simplyread ([24.78.36.204]) by mail3.megamailservers.com (8.11.0/8.9.3) with SMTP id f36HCgF66119; Fri, 6 Apr 2001 13:12:42 -0400 (EDT) (envelope-from michelleb@simplyread.org) Reply-To: <michelleb@simplyread.org> From: "Michelle Black" <michelleb@simplyread.org> To: <nifl-health@nifl.gov> Cc: "Michelle at HSC" <michelle.black@sickkids.ca> Subject: RE: [NIFL-HEALTH:2984] Health and literacy collaborations - LONG Date: Fri, 6 Apr 2001 13:09:22 -0400 Message-ID: <LPBBJGJJLCKPCDBMNLCECEKLCFAA.michelleb@simplyread.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4522.1200 In-Reply-To: <Pine.A41.4.33.0104051609490.120610-100000@aagaard01.u.washington.edu> Resent-From: root@literacy.nifl.gov Resent-Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 07:53:37 -0400 Resent-To: health-archive@nifl.gov Status: O Content-Length: 3895 Lines: 75 Greetings, all. Kristina's message prompts me to report in about a somewhat similar program here in Canada. I am a Plain Language Writer with the Centre for Health Information and Promotion (CHIP), at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The Centre began as a resource area situated on the Hospital's main floor, and has grown substantially in the past year. The Resource Centre began with a .5 full time equivalent position, and has stretched its resources to include about 8 staff members. Along with the Resource Centre itself, CHIP's consulting expertise spans across the areas of health promotion (both in the Hospital and across the broader community), and health communication. Funding for the Centre at this time comes from both internal and external sources, including the National Post newspaper. Through their departments, internal clients pay for the resources we work with them to prepare. CHIP's Health Communication Service is supported by Hospital policy, since all staff producing information for parents or patients need to consult with our service first. Currently there are two full-time communications consultants, a Health Communication Specialist and me. Our backgrounds are both well-grounded in communication: My manager Liz Leake has many years of successful experience doing communications and PR, in hospital and non-profit settings; my background has been languages, literacy and adult education. While unlike Kristina's organization we do not have a literacy staff member on contract, I have been involved in literacy as a volunteer for many years, as both tutor and board member. Ideally we take a team approach to preparing materials, working with the content experts and our graphic centre to ensure that the document communicates in a way that suits its audience and purpose. Our clients include nurses, doctors, social workers, dietitians and other hospital staff. We edit new materials and revise existing ones, with the aim of reaching a Grade 6-level reading audience, and using clear language and design principles. We also field test most materials with sample readers from our intended audiences. I am quite new to the Hospital, but in thesefew short months have been quite content, and proud, to be working here. It's a progressive organization that demonstrates--right up to the policy level--that it recognizes the connection between literacy and health. This acknowledgment of literacy needs shows up in other areas of the Hospital as well. For example, the policies and procedures the Research Institute publishes include templates of simplified consent forms. Also available with these policies is an extensive substitute word list; researchers are encouraged to use it when they prepare consent forms and plain language statements on grant applications. The list was developed by Sharon Nancekivell, the Hospital's Director of Editorial Services. Sharon and the Public Affairs department had been doing plain language in patient ed. materials for years before CHIP took on the role. Given that the Health Communication Service has only been doing this for only a handful of months, we don't yet have enough production behind us to report extensively on results. I *can* tell you that our clients have been very positive about our work with them so far. In the months to come, we will be planning for ways to make connections with staff, to ensure that they know about our service, and to raise awareness of why attention to clear communication is so important in our setting. We will be pleased to report any further things we achieve and learn as we go along. Cheers, Michelle Black _______________________ Plain Language Writer Health Communication Service Centre for Health Information and Promotion The Hospital for Sick Children 555 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario Canada M5G 1X8 (416) 813-7286 michelle.black@sickkids.ca
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Jan 18 2002 - 11:28:30 EST