OHSU Health Literacy Symposium

Innovating for Better Results in Health Care, Education, and Research

A male patient points at a tablet held by a female doctor in an exam room.

The inaugural OHSU Health Literacy Symposium was held on Thursday, October 17 and showcased clear communication strategies and campus projects to more effectively engage with patients, research participants, and community members across OHSU’s many programs. OHSU faculty, staff, learners and administrators were inspired by innovative approaches to help OHSU reach the ambitious goal of becoming a model health literate organization. The symposium aimed to help attendees:

  • Describe organizational health literacy and describe the elements of a health literate organization.
  • Identify current communication barriers that affect health-related outcomes.
  • Identify clear communication strategies to improve equitable access to understandable information in clinical, educational, and research settings.

The event featured eight academic research and project posters, and nine projects across all mission areas in the breakout sessions. More than 130 people attended the symposium, including members who joined virtually from Klamath Falls, Scappoose, Bend, and Colorado. 

Accreditation: Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Credit: OHSU School of Medicine designates this virtual activity for a maximum of 3.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.


Thursday, October 17, 2024

Lunch & Posters: Noon - 1 p.m.
Program: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

OHSU Auditorium

3286 SW Research Drive
Portland, OR 97239

Registration Fees

$50 with CME
$25 without CME

View the 2024 symposium program here


Speakers & Topics

Welcome - OHSU Health Literacy Symposium

Marie Chisholm-Burns, PharmD, PhD, MPH, FCCP, FASHP, FAST, FACHE
OHSU Provost and Executive Vice President 
J.S. Reinschmidt Endowed Professor

Becoming a Health Literate Organization

Cliff Coleman, M.D., MPH
Doris & Mark Storms Chair in Compassionate Communication, OHSU Center for Ethics in Health Care
Professor of Family Medicine
 

Education Breakout Session

"Teaching Plain Language Habits for Medical Students" by Cliff Coleman, M.D., MPH

"Medical Student Testing in Compassionate Communication" by Katie H. Stowers, D.O. 

"Improving Medical Communication Through Game Play" by Ruby M. Aaron, Alexis Burke, Ajit Elhance, Joan Marie Hady, and Emily Purzycki

Clinical Breakout Session

"Developing a Health Literacy Subcommittee: Experience from Richmond Clinic" by Rachel Postman, DNP, FNP-C

"Conducting a Document Review" by Lia Sebring, M.S.

"Safe Medications for ALL Requires Translation: Language Access in Pharmacies" by Kristen Beiers-Jones, RN, MN & Brian Park, M.D., MPH

Research Breakout Session

"Building a Health Literate Research Project: Best Practices and How-Tos" by Larissa Yoshino, MPH & Meredith Zauflik, MPA

"Verifying Comprehension in Research Consenting Process" by Aimee Mooney, M.S., CCC-SLP

"iDECIDE (Improving Decision-making Encounters in Lung Cancer): A Low Health Literacy Tool" by Don Sullivan, M.D., MPH, MCR