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Overview

Implementing and sustaining health literacy universal precautions at an organizational level requires strong, effective leadership. You will need a dedicated team to plan and implement health literacy-related changes. This team should be led by someone who is vested with the authority to coordinate the team's efforts and implement practice changes. Because health literacy is important for patients' interactions with all members of the practice, the most effective teams include representatives of clinical, nonclinical, and administrative staff. Patients and caregivers can add critical insight, as well.

Actions

Identify team members.

• Choose an energized and empowered Team Leader. The Team Leader must have both enthusiasm for health literacy-related quality improvement and the clout to spearhead change. If the Health Literacy Team Leader is not part of senior leadership, senior leadership must make it clear that the Team Leader has the authority to act.
• Include one motivated and respected representative from each area of your practice. In small practices, it often works best to include most or all your clinical and administrative staff members. In large practices, it is important to include at least one representative from each area of your practice. Team members may include:
  • Physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners.
  • Nurses.
  • Medical assistants.
  • Practice managers.
  • Front-office staff.
  • Billing and other back-office staff.
• Keep the size of your team manageable. Aim for 8 or fewer members. Limit yourself to no more than 12.
• Incorporate patients, family, and/or caregivers into the team. Having people you serve on the team can provide invaluable first-hand insight on what they experience and how systems and communication can be improved. 
• Ask staff to identify and suggest patients, family, or caregivers who are typical of the people you serve.
• To show respect for their time, consider providing a meal, reimbursement for expenses, and/or a gift of appreciation. Most large organizations pay (e.g., stipend, honorarium) these team members.

Bring team members together.

• Have an initial meeting, in-person if possible.
• Introduce health literacy by showing the (6 minutes) and (2 minutes).
• Go to Tool 3: Raise Awareness for additional methods of educating your team and others about health literacy.
• Introduce the Toolkit and its key components.
• Review the goals of implementing the Toolkit.
• Ask at least one or two team members to review the full Toolkit carefully to become familiar with its contents.

Have subsequent meetings and establish routine reporting.

• Schedule regular team meetings. Frequent meetings may be needed at the outset (e.g., weekly). Meetings can take place less frequently once your implementation activities are underway.
• Clarify each team member's role and responsibilities early on and throughout the process.
• Use Tool 2: Assess Organizational Health Literacy and Create an Improvement Plan to help you develop and implement your Health Literacy Improvement Plan.
• Report progress monthly, or at a minimum quarterly, to senior leadership to maintain accountability and team engagement.

Additional Resources

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement provides valuable information about the quality improvement process, including guidance on .

The ´óÏóÊÓƵPractice Facilitation Curriculum provides guidance on Creating Quality Improvement Teams and QI Plans.