Innovative system to improve use of patient education materials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a new storage system for patient education materials. DESIGN: Anonymous surveys before and after implementation of new storage system. SETTING: Family medicine residency teaching centre. PARTICIPANTS: All nurses, staff doctors, and first- and second-year residents in the unit. INTERVENTIONS: Implementation of a new storage system for patient education materials, orientation of all health professionals in the unit to the new system, and periodic distribution of patient education newsletters. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported use of patient education materials. RESULTS: Response rates were 73% (30 of 41 health professionals) in 1990 and 86% (36 of 42) in 1992. Responses to the first survey on use of 20 categories of patient education materials showed materials were seldom used by most respondents. Back Care, Nutrition, Diabetes, VD/Birth Control, and Pregnancy categories were the most frequently used. In the second survey, more respondents reported using these five categories of pamphlets. Rates of use varied only slightly for the remaining 15 categories. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals reported more frequent use of certain patient education materials following implementation of a new storage system.