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Innovation in Patient
Education
After more than a year of
planning, grant writing
and development, two
patient education stations
are now in operation on
the second and third floor
clinic waiting areas.
Funded by a grant from the
National Library of
Medicine, the project is
the result of initiative
taken by librarian Julie
Schiavo.
She observed that last
year more than 7,700
patients, including 1,271
low-income patients, were
treated at the clinics in
New Orleans. Often the
patients brought family,
friends, and even their
children with them. That
meant a lot of people were
waiting. Ms. Schiavo saw
this time as an
opportunity to help the
patients.
"I believe it's important
to educate our patients so
they become an active part
of the health care
process," she said. There
is much work to be done
because of significant
public health issues with
major implication for
dental health. For
example, 21.8 percent of
the population of New
Orleans lives below the
poverty level. Statewide,
80 percent of children
have cavities, the most
common chronic disease of
childhood in America.
About one-fourth of
Louisiana adults age 65
and older have lost all of
their teeth. With ten
percent of the state
population affected by
diabetes, Louisiana has
the sixth highest rate
among states. On a global
basis, more and more
research has proven that
control of oral disease is
essential to the
prevention and management
of systemic conditions
such as heart disease,
rheumatoid arthritis and
diabetes.
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| Julie
Schiavo, Reference
Librarian |
The centerpiece of the
learning stations are
dedicated computers that
are easy to use and
limited to websites with
high-quality patient
material. The websites
include MEDLINE,
ClinicalTrials.gov,
KidsHealth.org, NIH
SeniorHealth, the American
Dental Association, the
American Dental
Hygienist's Association,
the American Academy of
Periodontology and the
American Academy of
Craniofacial Pain. "All
the information is
trustworthy," Ms. Schiavo
said. Printed brochures
will be available soon.
Patients are reminded that
the information is not a
substitute for
professional advice and
that they should talk to
their dentists or
physicians about the
information they find.
Preliminary reports show
that the patients at LSUSD
are looking for
information on proper
toothbrushing technique,
dry mouth, root canals,
tooth decalcification,
diabetic clinical trials
in Louisiana, age-related
macular degeneration,
caring for someone with
Alzheimer's disease,
depression in the older
adult, and even
ophthalmologists in St.
Tammany Parish.
"I am thrilled with the
results so far," Ms.
Schiavo said. "What I find
exciting is that the
patients are using the
terminals for both their
dental and medical
questions. This is what I
had hoped would occur."
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