Conference Agenda – Wednesday, May 10, 2023

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Plenary
The Empathy Edge: How to Strengthen Your Empathy Muscle to Boost Collaboration and Embrace Differences

Here is a quick glance of what I will discuss.

To view this session you must be registered live attendee. This session will not be recorded.

Maria Ross
Speaker, Author, Leadership Trainer, Empathy Advocate

Objectives:

1. Discover what empathy is - and what it is NOT - and debunk common myths that hold you back from connection and engagement.
2. Learn why empathy is the missing piece that fuels diversity and inclusion, health equity, and better patient outcomes.
3. Discover actionable ways to strengthen empathy so you can tailor communications, provide better patient care, and navigate conflict.
4. Practice skills to motivate and align with colleagues, team members, and patients, regardless of background, culture, or experience.

Summary:

Furious customers and failed business launches. Partnerships abandoned out of fear, projects destroyed by misunderstanding. Sexism. Gender Inequality. Every problem that exists in the business world can be traced back to a single, common origin: Lack of empathy. When we are unwilling to talk, listen, or understand another point of view, we remain paralyzed. Instead of finding solutions, we repeat the same mistakes. This impacts our professional reputation, team's productivity, client's experience, and organization's performance. Join speaker, author, strategist, and empathy advocate Maria Ross, author of The Empathy Edge and host of the same-named podcast, as she shares real-world proof of the value of compassion as an engine for leadership success. Learn how you as leaders - and as staff- can amplify empathy through your work and bring your team and organization along with you to create a better world – at whatever level you play. With fascinating stories from company founders, change-makers and brands we know and love, Ross reveals exactly how empathy makes you as a leader stronger and more sustainable. And she reveals three concrete ways to strengthen your empathy muscles for great success.

10:15 am – 11:15 am

Age of ChatGPT: A Match Made in Heaven or the Downfall of Health Communications? | Live Lecture

Trending Topic: AI Technology

Tracy Mehan, MA
Director of Research Translation and Communication
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Objectives:

1. Explain ChatGPT and other natural language processing artificial intelligence tools – what they are and how they were developed
2. Describe real world applications of these tools in health communications and to address health literacy
3. Assess the potential risks and challenges inherent in these types of tools allowing for educated decisions on how they might be used and where the limitations are

Summary:

On Nov 30, 2022, ChatGPT, the new language processing artificial intelligence program from OpenAI, launched and shook the world. Some say it is the best thing to ever happen to communications others say it is unethical, dangerous, and should not be used. Join us to see some real-life examples of ChatGPT in action, discuss the pros and cons, and learn what the fields of health communications and health literacy need to consider before deciding if this will be a game-changer or a potential disaster.

10:15 am – 11:15 am

Choosing Words That Work: A Practical Plan for Plain | Live Lecture

Practical Lessons in Health Literacy: Writing in Plain Language

David Kelly, MEd
Owner
Red Clay

Objectives:

1. Recognize self-awareness when writing.
2. Choose words to convey ideas effectively and succinctly.
3. Explain how sentence construction can promote or diminish audience understanding.

Summary:

In order to communicate clearly, we must choose our words; plain language demands it. Take, for instance, this paragraph. Why would I start with “In order to” when “To,” alone, gets it done? Why would anyone? But how do we choose? This session answers that. From taming snarling sentences to unearthing unsung verbs, we’ll craft clarity for the masses. (#noreaderleftbehind) So, let’s talk about words — those that serve us, those that don’t … and how to tell the difference.

10:15 am – 11:15 am

Health Literacy Professional Development: Integrating Patient Experience and Application Based Learning | Live Lecture

Training to Implement in Your Workplace

Carolyn Cutilli, PhD RN NPD-BC
Patient Education Specialist
Penn Medicine

Haley Fuller, M.Ed, CHES
Patient Education Specialist
Penn Medicine

Robert Goodman, BA, MBA
Volunteer
Penn Medicine

Denise LaMarra, MS, CHSE

Objectives:

1. State each component of the multidisciplinary professional development program.
2. Describe the impact of integrating evidence-based strategies, patient experience, and standardized patients.
3. Identify how the program promotes organizational health literacy.

Summary:

Research and patient outcomes demonstrate that patients often struggle to understand how to care for themselves. In response, Penn Medicine, as an evolving health literate organization, created and implemented an innovative professional development program. The goal of the program is to help healthcare professionals enhance their knowledge and skills related to health literacy and patient education. This session will highlight the three integrated components of this dynamic, interactive, and multidisciplinary program. Session participants can use the program components to develop their own interactive, application-based professional development activity.

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

A Close Look at Visuals: How They Can Make Health Communications More (or Less!) Effective | Live Lecture

Practical Lessons in Health Literacy - Picking Visuals

Janel Schuh, PhD
Senior Methodologist, Research and Evaluation
CommunicateHealth

Olivia Olson, MPH
Research Associate
CommunicateHealth

Katherine MacKay, MPH, MA
Project Manager
CommunicateHealth

Objectives:

1. Recognize how people’s understanding of visuals in health communications may vary according to their health literacy skills.
2. Explain how visuals in health communications may help address health inequities — or perpetuate them.
3. Apply at least five tips for selecting clear, relatable, and appealing visuals for health communications.

Summary:

Visuals are key to making health information easier to understand and catching people’s attention in today’s media- and tech-heavy environment. That’s why it’s so important to have a nuanced understanding of how people make meaning from visuals. In this presentation, we’ll describe how people process visual information and derive meaning from visuals in health communications. We’ll also share key takeaways from audience research that explores why visuals matter within the context of health literacy and health equity. Finally, we’ll give actionable tips for selecting clear, relatable, and appealing visuals that will make health communications more — not less — effective.

11:30 pm – 12:30 pm

Building a Health Literacy Statewide Coalition: Lessons Learned from 5 States | Panel Discussion

Trending Topic: Developing Large Scale Coalitions

MaryAnn Nicolay, MEd, NDTR
President
Ohio Health Literacy Partners

Karen Komondor, BSN, RN, CCRN
Founder
President Health Literacy 360, LLC

Doris Ravotas, PhD
Coordinator, Michigan Health Literacy Collaborative
Western Michigan University

Greg O'Neill, MSN, APRN, AGNS-BC
Director of Patient and Family Health Education
ChristianaCare

Teresa Wagner, DrPH, MS, CPH, ED/LD
Interim Director/Assistant Professor
Safercare Texas

Genelle Lamont, PhD, MPH
Assistant Professor
University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

Objectives:

1. Describe considerations needed to start a statewide health literacy coalition.
2. Identify strategies for funding a statewide coalition.
3. Discuss ways to maintain and grow a statewide coalition.

Summary:

Leaders from health literacy coalitions in Ohio, Michigan, Texas, Minnesota, and Delaware will come together in a conversation to share their wisdom and experiences and to provide takeaways on starting statewide health literacy coalitions. The conversation will include:

• Things to consider as you plan your coalition.
• Identifying and engaging partners (including legislators and policymakers).
• Being a standalone nonprofit vs. an extension of another organization.
• Funding your coalition.
• Maintaining and growing your coalition.

Participants will be able to submit questions as well as leave with contact information for follow-up conversations.

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Advancing Professional Development in Health Literacy | Live Lecture

Training to Implement in Your Workplace

Rachel Roberts, MPH, CHES
Institute for Healthcare Advancement

Eskarlethe Juarez, MPH, CHES
Institute for Healthcare Advancement

Objectives:

1. Identify at least 3 ways the Health Literacy Solutions Center offers professional growth opportunities.
2. State at least 2 benefits of completing 1 or more micro-credentials.
3. Describe at least 2 ways the Health Literacy Specialist Certificate program contributes to professional development.

Summary:

Have you ever left a conference feeling inspired and searching for ways to continue learning and growing in your field? Join us for a quick tour of the Health Literacy Solutions Center where members can enrich their professional development and share their expertise with others. The main focus of this session is the assessment-based Health Literacy Specialist Certificate Program composed of 7 unique micro-credentials. Each micro-credential covers a different domain including Communication, Education, and Language, Culture, and Diversity allowing individuals to customize their professional growth.

12:45 pm – 1:15 pm

Promoting Health Literacy Through Nursing Education: Strategies and Outcomes of an Online RN-BSN Instructional Module | Live Lecture

Training to Implement in Your Workplace

Omobola A. Oyeleye, EdD, JD, MSN, M.ED,RN
Associate Professor of Nursing
University of Texas at Houston

Objectives:

1. Discuss about the knowledge gap in health literacy among nurses.
2. Plan and execute an instructional module for nurses and allied health professionals.
3. Discuss ways participants can replicate the course in their own environments.

Summary:

Among all the healthcare professions, nurses probably spend the greatest amount of time with patients and are often the last bastion of defense in ensuring positive patient outcomes. Yet, there is no requirement in nursing curricula for content relating to health literacy. This knowledge gap in nursing curricula, and in the average nurse, was the impetus for an instructional module presented in an online RN-BSN program. Participants who attend this session will gain an understanding of what nurses know about health literacy and will be able to replicate a similar course in their own environment.

12:45 pm – 1:45 pm

Improving Health Literacy in People Living With Communication Deficits | Live Lecture

Practical Lessons in Health Literacy: Communication Barriers

Valerie J. Connor, MA CCC-SLP, MS CHES
Speech Language Pathologist
Quad Cities Rehab Institute

Objectives:

1. Define common health literacy challenges affecting individuals with communication deficits.
2. Identify common communication barriers individuals experience when consuming health education materials
3. Develop an action plan to improve health outcomes in patients with communication deficits.

Summary:

Improving patient safety is at the forefront of nearly every health care initiative. Research shows that understanding health related materials is a key component to improving not only patient safety, but patient satisfaction scores. One common barrier to health literacy is communication deficits. Understanding those deficits and identifying ways to compensate for communication barriers is an important step towards empowering patients and improving patient autonomy. In this session, participants will identify common communication barriers as they relate to health literacy. Five simple steps will be introduced that can immediately be implemented by any healthcare professional.

12:45 pm – 2:00 pm

Advancing Organizational Health Literacy through a Health Literacy Learning Collaborative | Panel Discussion

Trending Topic: Developing Small Scale Coalitions

Allison Riggle, MSW, EdD
Project Manager
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Jessica Chevrolet, MS, MPA
Grant Coordinator
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Mary Ann Abrams, MD, MPH
GME Quality Improvement Medical Director
Nationwide Children's Hospital

Objectives:

1. Identify the opportunities and challenges of developing an organizational health literacy learning collaborative.
2. Understand how a health literacy learning collaborative can enhance current organizational HL efforts and align with your organization’s mission and goals.
3. Use the tools and resources discussed to collaboratively increase organizational health literacy capacity.

Summary:

This session will feature a health literacy learning collaborative (HLLC) developed through an Office of Minority Health-funded grant to advance organizational health literacy (HL)—Advancing Health Literacy Franklin County. We will: describe how the HLLC was conceived, designed, implemented, and assessed, and share key resources, tools, and approaches used to recruit, train, and evolve into an all-teach-all learn format wherein each team created an organizational or focused HL Plan and advanced as a health literate health organization. Participants will learn how this can be adapted on a small or large scale to address equity, quality, safety, and patient/client centered care.

1:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Using Applied Improvisation to Create a More Psychologically Safe Environment in your Workplace | Live Lecture

Dayna Gowan, MPH, CHES
Speaker, Improviser, Facilitator of Fun, Improvly Speaking

Objectives:

1. Attendees will be able to define psychological safety and understand how psychological safety can be used to improve workplace interactions.
2. Attendees will learn how to embrace mistakes and let go of perfection by practicing low stakes situations where it is acceptable to make mistakes and move on quickly from mistakes.
3. Attendees will acquire strategies to build inclusive environments that foster adaptability, trust, and being open to doing old things in new ways.

Summary:

Psychological Safety is a big buzzword these days, and thank goodness it is because it is so important for employees to feel safe to share and be their authentic selves! The skills of improvisation that are used to sustain a scene on stage, such as “Yes, and…” (or accept and build), listening, looking at mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow, and making your scene partner look good, are also the same skills that can help establish psychological safety within your workplace and other environments. While leaders in the organization have a responsibility to establish a psychological safe workplace, ALL employees can use these applied improvisation skills to improve their mindset and perspective, which can shift and shape psychological safety and engagement at work.