improved patient education at shands healthcare

"Having a consistent system to provide education to our patients across the continuum of care is a tremendous resource for our staff," says Irene Alexaitis, Shands at University of Florida vice president and chief nursing officer. But this is no small task for the not-for-profit Shands HealthCare system in Florida.

In an ongoing effort to improve patient education, Shands HealthCare uses the Micromedex® CareNotes® Patient Education Solution to provide patients with easy-to-understand information about all aspects of their care and health — and to meet patient education guidelines of the Joint Commission and the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990.

Meeting the Needs of All Stakeholders
"CareNotes provides the most comprehensive solution — in terms of features, functionality, and support  — to meet our strict criteria as well as those required by the Joint Commission," said Mary Coons, RN, MSN, Shands at University of Florida nurse specialist.

Carenotes provides more than 6,000 customizable documents covering general care, pre- and after-care, inpatient care, drug notes, and hospital discharge instructions. The documents are available in English and Spanish and are written for a sixth- to eighth-grade reading level.

Coons sums up the comprehensive value CareNotes has brought to Shands Healthcare: "CareNotes is THE tool our clinicians need to ensure that patients understand their conditions, treatment, medication, and follow-up care."

Learn more about CareNotes and how Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is also leveraging this patient education solution.