Cultural Competence Mini-Series: Plain Language and the Teach-back Method

Cultural competence is essential to achieving the UCM mission of patient-centered care. The Cultural Competence Course supports the People objective of the UCM Annual Operating Plan “to build a culturally and linguistically competent organization.” Additionally, participants will enhance their skills and knowledge to work more effectively in a multicultural setting. This activity is open to employees of the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Division. All course graduates become Cultural Competence Advocates who serve as resources in meetings and their departments. Advocates also have an opportunity to become Cultural Competence Trainers. Cultural Competence Trainers partner with Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity to deliver training in their departments. This session is part of a series sponsored by the Urban Health Initiative Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity. Learn more here! This session will focus on the Plain Language Act and literacy levels in the United States. Participants will learn and practice Teach-Back as a tool to improve provider-patient communication.

After this activity, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the Plain Language Act and literacy levels in the United States;
• Describe how to use the Teach-Back Method to improve provider-patient communication;
• Discuss how to apply effective teaching techniques to promote communication between healthcare providers and patients that will improve health outcomes.