Introduction

Health Care Education Association (HCEA) identified the need for concise evidence-based patient education  guidelines with real world clinical application for frontline staff. The guidelines provide patient education process, strategies and examples/explanations/scripts.

Methods

For the literature search HCEA applied for and was awarded the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), Mid Atlantic Region, Health Literacy Project grant for the literature search.  Approximately 10,000  publications identified.

Question 1: Assessment

A. What techniques are best for assessing patients’ learning needs, preferences and/or priorities before teaching? 

Question 2: Planning

What are the elements of a teaching plan which incorporate patient- and family-   centered goals, individualization and measurable outcomes? 

Question 3: Implementation

How do health care providers individualize patient teaching strategies to improve patient  engagement and health outcomes? (including patients’ literacy influence) 

Question 4: Evaluation

How do clinicians determine that learning has occurred?

For the Initial article review, the title and abstract were examined using the following process: determined relevance of article to patient education process (assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation -APIE), non-relevant articles moved to Mendeley archive folders, and 354 articles identified for in depth review

 In depth review extracts the following information: description, Melnyk Level of Evidence,   APIE Process, summarize key findings, describe major strengths /weaknesses, and relevance to  guidelines and why.

The literature is summarized through the following steps: regrouped citations based on identified APIE application, assigned team of reviewers for each APIE area, and each article had two reviewers.

Writing Guidelines steps include authors assigned to each component, review all summaries, determine most common interventions that were effective, and placed interventions with examples in table .

Results

Education is an interactive process focusing on the patient’s health priorities and behaviors/outcomes. Best practice combines the overarching elements such as patient-centered, patient engagement, plain language, focus on behaviors/actions: and APIE strategies. Guidelines URL: https://www.hcea-info.org/patient-education-practice-guidelines-for-health-care-professionals

Discussion

The overarching elements and strategies for each part of the patient education process (assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation-APIE) provide solid guidance and options for health care professionals providing patient education.