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The solution to all performance problems is not always training. Sometimes it can be as simple as a workflow improvement or a job aid.

The flowchart “Is training really the answer?” from instruction expert Cathy Moore helps you decide if your organization needs a training program or might need a simpler resource. Moore has also created an 8-minute video that explains the flowchart in depth.

Is training the solution to your workplace problem? Contact us for a free consultation to discuss options.

New courses to enable baseline knowledge are now available for CHWs

Recent polls about the Affordable Care Act reveal that many Americans remain confused about the law. A Field Poll reports that fewer than half of the Californians who would be eligible for benefits under the law are aware that they are, while a Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll found that a majority of Americans are still unsure about how the law will impact them, and that awareness hasn’t improved since the law was enacted in 2010.

As enrollment for the Affordable Care Act ramps up to begin in October, Americans across the country are realizing they need to quickly become more knowledgeable about the Affordable Care Act. This need is even more pronounced among the organizations that provide community health support, and particularly among the Community Health Workers (CHWs) who are at the front lines.

“A lot of people don’t know the facts,” says Alecia Distin, an Americorp Volunteer and Community Health Worker for the Center for Black Women’s Wellness in Atlanta.

Pop quiz: how many pills per day should you take if your prescription says, “Take 2 pills twice daily.” If you’re not sure if that’s a total of two pills per day or four pills per day, you’re not alone.*

In a recent study of adults from different backgrounds, nearly half misunderstood at least one out of five prescription labels. Those with low health literacy rates frequently misunderstood four out of five labels.

Poorly worded materials, or those written at a high reading level, can have disastrous–even deadly–effects on patients. The best way to fix the problem is for health systems and health departments to train public health professionals to write clearly.

Begin by incorporating these four areas into your training program:

1. Stop using medical terminology.

Make it a policy not to use terms like “renal” or “influenza” in communication with patients. They’re not clear and frequently misinterpreted.

Jargon is the scourge of all industries, but nowhere is it more damaging than in healthcare. Misunderstanding what a health worker is saying regarding treatment might make the difference between life and death in a patient.

Health literacy rates are remarkably low in this country–according to the Health Literacy Fact Sheet 9 out of 10 people don’t have the skills necessary to manage health and prevent disease.

Patients may understand far less than you think they do. According to a study from the Department of Emergency Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, a group of 249 adults understood less than half of the terms they were asked, including:

The typical patient walking out of a doctor’s appointment can remember only about half of what they were just told. The combination of a flood of information, new terminology and, in some cases, shock can make it difficult for anyone to absorb everything.

This fact is at odds with common assumptions about health literacy. Members of healthcare teams are often incorrect supposing that patients with low health literacy are poor, elderly, uneducated or non-native English speakers. While those kinds of populations may indeed have difficulty understanding treatment and prevention, it’s still a dangerous misconception that leads to a remarkably low health literacy rate. Government research shows that 9 out of 10 people lack the skills they need to manage their health and prevent disease.

Marlborough, MA, October 15, 2013 – Patient care teams that focus on prostate health now have another option to add to their training arsenal. Cancer Resource Foundation, a leader in educational resources for the cancer community, and organizers of the Boston Prostate Cancer Walk & 5K Run is now offering a new course, Core Competencies

A Step-by-Step Strategy Guide for Training Community Health Workers Online

Things are moving fast in the world of training health workers: expansion of jobs, updates to health guidelines, changes in healthcare law–all in the midst of budget cutbacks and limited resources. Many organizations need a way of keeping their staff trained and are considering moving to an online training program. The big question is no longer, “Should we implement an e-learning program?” but, “How should we implement an e-learning program?”

One of the first questions we ask during the kickoff of a new project is, “Who’s taking ownership of this e-learning project?” It’s incredible how many times that answer is, “Nobody.”

Involvement is crucial for a successful e-learning program. Appointing no one as the champion for your program will have one of two outcomes: no one will do anything and your program will be wasted, or someone will do everything, but you’ll never respect or realize the amount of work they do.

Managing an online training program is a big job. Bigger than you may realize, and it is specialized work. The e-learning manager is often the go-to person for scheduling, managing updates, coordinating review staff, and answering all questions. If anyone wants something done, it falls to the e-learning manager.

Look for someone who …

Has learned online. All the better if they have taught online or at least earned a degree online.

The key launch date for the Affordable Care Act is only weeks away, but the problem remains that there are too few people who know enough about health insurance to be able to explain it to 30 million people who have never been insured.

The federal government has recruited nonprofits and related organizations to help with training, but many of these groups lack the foundation they need to begin the intensive government “navigator” programs. Many groups have little or no experience in health insurance, such as church groups or soup kitchens. But even medically experienced health workers and educators lack core skills around understanding health insurance.

An important first step is understanding the basics about insurance–topics that deal with how people sign up for help, what kinds of programs are free for them, and important vocabulary terms.

Build a program that works by asking these 10 questions from the beginning.

An online platform for community health worker training can not only save your organization money over live training costs, but it can also increase worker engagement. Make sure before you move forward with a plan that you’re choosing the right format.

When you’re considering online training, the two chief delivery systems are a computer-based e-learning program on a learning management system (LMS) or a virtual meeting or seminar (aka webinar). The Community Health Worker Online Training Program is a hybrid program. It’s a mix of an e-learning program on an LMS and in-person training.

If you’re considering offering CHW training that includes an online element, this matrix might help you find the best tool for the job.