Portland VA Utilizes Patient Information Series
The Portland, Oregon, Veterans Administration Medical Center is incorporating the American Thoracic Society’s Patient Information Series into its electronic medical record (EMR) system to bolster patient-centered care and communication.The Patient Information Series features downloadable PDFs that describe lung diseases, treatments, and tests in simple terms. The PDFs, which are generally two pages in length, include informative illustrations, checklists, and links to additional resources. Each PDF has been published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
“In the past, I’ve struggled to find high-quality materials when I’m in the middle of clinic,” says Christopher Slatore, MD, MS, investigator at Portland VA Medical Center Health Services Research and Development and assistant professor at Oregon Health and Science University. “Embedding the ATS patient education materials within the EMR makes them easily available at a moment’s notice. The link is part of our menu for ordering typical medications and diagnostic tests so that I’m reminded to print them out every time I see a patient.”
Dr. Slatore serves on the two-year-old ATS Patient and Family Education Committee, which produces the series, and will soon join the ATS Documents Development and Implementation Committee.
“One of the main charges of the Patient and Family Education Committee is to increase awareness of the wealth of patient education materials available from the ATS,” says committee chair Kathleen O. Lindell, PhD, RN. “Dr. Slatore demonstrated real dedication in helping us meet this charge.”
The ATS Patient Information Series recently released documents on the fungal diseases histoplasmosis, which was published in the April 15 AJRCCM, and candidemia, which will be featured in the May 1 AJRCCM. In addition, the ATS Tobacco Control Committee plans to contribute a series on tobacco on May 15.
For more information about incorporating the ATS Patient Information Series into your institution’s EMR or website, contact Judy Corn, ATS director of documents, ad hoc projects, and patient education, at jcorn@thoracic.org.
