Education Materials for Patients
The internet is full of educational materials for your patients. An office visit is intangible by nature. How many times have you heard a patient say, "my doctor didn't do anything for me" if leaving without a prescription in hand. By providing some free or low cost handouts, you've helped make the visit more tangible to your patients.
Smokefree.gov - Smoking cessation counseling based on a plan is a reimbursable service by Medicare for patients with certain diagnoses exasperated by smoking. This site offers online quizes and pdf versions of "cutting-edge, evidence-based tools designed to help specific audiences quit smoking and remain smoke-free." See MLN Matters MM5878 for more information on billing for smoking cessation counseling.
Also take a look at this great compilation resources to quit smoking shared with us by Lauren at pacificnorthwestlibrarians.org.
Advanced Care Planning
Caring Connections is an invaluable site for patients, patients' healthcare agents and providers when doing advanced care planning. The site offers state-specific forms for Advance Directives. It also offers many eductional brochures such as a legal guide for the seriously ill and communicating end of life wishes. These are tough topics for patients, caregives and providers. This makes discussing these topics a little easier.
Low Literacy Patient Handouts
MedlinePlus - Easy-to-Read
Lists MedlinePlus health topics that are in easy-to-read form.
National Diabetes Information Clearing House - Easy-to-Read Publications
A set of easy-to-read documents about diabetes in English and Spanish.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House - Easy-to-Read Publications
A set of easy-to-read documents about digestive diseases in English and Spanish.
National Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse - Easy-to-Read Publications
A set of easy-to-read documents about kidney and urologic diseases in English and Spanish.
OHSU/Hood River Community Health Outreach Project: Pamphlets in Spanish/English Produced by Project Participants
Low-literacy pamphlets in Spanish and English produced by project participants.