In this new series from UAB Libraries, “Communicate Clearly. Connect Meaningfully. Confirm Understanding,” expert librarians will empower health care teams with skills and tools to help them best connect with patients and communicate clinical concepts effectively and efficiently.

Nearly 9 out of 10 adults struggle to understand health information, according to the Centers for Disease Control — a statistic so notable to health care professionals that it was deemed a core focus of Healthy People 2030, an initiative from the Department of Health and Human Services to set data-driven national objectives to improve health and well-being throughout the next decade.

Working to combat this statistic and align with UAB’s mission to provide world-class patient care were the inspirations behind creating a series focused on information sharing between providers and patients, says Lindsey Moultrie, Clinical Reference Librarian and Liaison to UAB Medicine and Graduate Medical Education, who will co-lead the workshops with Megan Bell, Consumer Health and Community Engagement Librarian in UAB Libraries.

Each workshop will provide tools to raise awareness of how health literacy affects patient care and provide strategies for addressing low health literacy, plus strategies for communication and connection with patients.

Each session stands alone, but attendance at all three is welcome; each will be recorded and provided to registrants following the webinar’s conclusion.

What Is Health Literacy and Why Is It Important?

Noon-1 p.m. Sept. 1, virtual

This 1-hour workshop will explain the importance of health literacy — the ability to find, understand and use health information to make health care decisions — and provide strategies to support patient-centered care with health literacy in mind, and give participants resources for further exploration. Participants will have the opportunity to practice hands-on with strategies discussed. Register for “What Is Health Literacy and Why Is It Important?”

What is Plain Language and How Do I Use It?

Noon-1 p.m. Oct. 1, virtual

Plain language is the practice of writing and speaking in a way your audience understands. This 1-hour workshop will cover the basics of plain language in health care looking at speech, text, and design. Additional resources will be given for further exploration. Participants will have the opportunity to practice hands-on with communicating in plain language to patients. Register for “What is Plain Language and How Do I Use It?”

What Is Teach Back and How Do I Use It?

Noon-1 p.m. Nov. 2, virtual

Teach back is a method health care providers can use to provide patient-centered care by communicating clearly with patients and confirming their understanding. This 1-hour workshop will explain teach back, show you how to use it, and supply resources for further exploration. Participants will have the opportunity to practice these strategies hands-on. “Register for What is Teach Back and How Do I Use It?”