Too often in health care, the term "quality" is murky and poorly defined. A communication toolkit created by the American Institutes for Research, in collaboration with McGee and Evers Consulting, aims to change that by helping employers, labor unions, and others communicate about the meaning and importance of evidence-based medical care. Originally published in 2008 by the National Business Group on Health, the toolkit was newly updated in late 2010 and supports efforts to enlist employees as informed partners in managing their health.
As employers and unions seek ways to improve the quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of care, encouraging employees to make treatment decisions based on evidence becomes increasingly important. Incorporating accessible language, photos, and design features vetted by rigorous communication research, the toolkit provides information for employers and unions, as well as employee materials that can be adapted and personalized.
The toolkit contains detailed instructions on how to use it and how to customize workforce materials. The employee materials cover four broad topics:
- Understanding the basics of health care quality and the importance of evidence-based information
- Cost and quality issues, including how to choose quality care and make wise use of money spent on health care
- Tips for getting good quality care before, during, and after a health care appointment
- Help in using the Internet to find health information you can trust
The toolkit itself is evidence-based, following extensive literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, meetings, and surveys of employers and consumers. As a result, the workforce materials include five essential features:
- Unfamiliar concepts are explained in ways that are easy to understand
- Key messages are reinforced with vignette examples
- Formatting and design are approachable
- Action-oriented tips are provided for employees on what they can do and how they can learn more
- Customization is possible by adding organization-specific information
The communications toolkit was created with funding from CHCF and is available through the External Link below.