<<THE IBDCure.org FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL>> [RELEASE REF ID: BN00105]

LATE-BREAKING NEWS: A WEEKEND OF "HEALTH LITERACY" [PRESIDENT'S WEEKEND]

SOURCE: // CAUCUS EDUCATIONAL CORP / PBS PUBLIC TELEVISION/WNET /
IBDCure.org E-NEWS//

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, February 20, 2005: 6AM EST

LOS ANGELES, CA, HIGHLAND PARK, NJ, AND ONLINE @ WWW.IBDCURE.ORG--

Dear ibdcure.org Foundation Supporters:

While we know it been an extraordinary amount of time since we sent out our
last press release, we have some exciting news to report:

In his first television appearance since his six-month hospitalization in
2003, Gideon was invited to take part in an exclusive taping of Steve
Adubato's CAUCUS NJ program. This weekend, the focus of the program is
"Health Literacy," which has an ultimate goal of improving the communication
between patients, doctors, and other health professionals.

On Saturday (2/19), the half-hour program will air at 12:30PM (EST) on WNET
(PBS) in the Tri-State area, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The
program will air again on PBS & NJN at 8:30 AM Sunday (2/20) and 11:30 PM
Monday (2/21). In addition, the program will air on CN 8 - The Comcast
Network (Which airs throughout NJ, NY, PA, DE, MD, CT, MA, ME, NH, RI & VT)
at 6:30PM & 11:30PM on Sunday, 2/20.

For those of you who reside in other parts of the country and around the
world, you may view a clip of the program and/or download a full transcript
by visiting the "ENEWS RESOURCES" section of this release, or by visiting:
http://www.caucusnj.org/caucusnj/special_series/informed/health_literacy.asp

As always, we want to thank you for your support, which is absolutely
critical to the progress of IBD awareness and research.

Have a healthy and safe President's weekend,

The ibdcure.org e-news Team

Please direct all inquiries to: enews.mail@...
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E-NEWS RESOURCES:
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ABOUT CAUCUS: NEW JERSEY (Courtesy: Caucus Educational Corp,
http://www.caucusnj.org)

Caucus: New Jersey with Steve Adubato is the Emmy Award-winning public
affairs television series broadcast on Thirteen/WNET New York (PBS),
NJN-Public Television (PBS), CN8-The Comcast Network, and various cable
stations across the state. Hosted by four-time Emmy Award-winning anchor
Steve Adubato, Caucus combines in-depth documentary coverage with
penetrating studio interviews and discussion. Caucus is the most watched
news and public affairs program dealing with New Jersey issues. It is
broadcast to over 15 million people and can be seen in six states including
New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey.

In its over fifteen years on the air, Caucus: New Jersey has tackled a range
of important issues affecting the state, including New Jersey's death
penalty, race relations, education reform, the future of our children, and
the many challenges facing the modern American family. Caucus has also
presented a series of documentaries entitled, ³Caucus Up Close² that profile
prominent New Jerseyans who have made significant contributions to life in
the state and nation. Caucus has featured former 40-year Congressman Peter
Rodino, New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey, former Governor and Supreme
Court Chief Justice Richard J. Hughes, former New York Mayor Ed Koch, former
New York Governor Mario Cuomo and former Congresswoman and Ambassador
Millicent Fenwick. The series has also profiled prominent national figures
such as former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop, and U.S. Secretary of
State General Colin Powell.

Over the years, Caucus has garnered 29 Emmy nominations and has won four
prestigious Emmy Awards, including its most recent 2001 Emmy Award for
³Outstanding Host² (a third win in this category for host Steve Adubato).

Caucus is a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation (CEC), which
has raised millions of dollars in support over the years from philanthropic
corporations and foundations. Major underwriters of the series include;
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Resources,
Horizon/Mercy, The Prudential Foundation, ShopRite, Roche, Verizon
Communications, Schering-Plough Corporation, The Medical Society of New
Jersey, Johnson & Johnson and The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

Caucus: New Jersey with Steve Adubato is produced by a consortium that
includes the Caucus Educational Corporation, Rutgers-Newark, Thirteen/WNET,
and NJN-Public Television. http://www.caucusnj.org.
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SYNOPSIS: HEALTH LITERACY

This half-hour program comprised of a physician, nurse educator, and health
communications expert and patient exams effective strategies that help
facilitate greater understanding between patient and health professionals.


Click to read a passage from Helen Osborne's book, "Health Literacy from
A to Z"
Health literacy is when health providers and patients truly understand one
another. As medical knowledge expands and new treatments are introduced, it
is becoming increasingly clear that there is a need for better communication
between physicians, other healthcare professionals and patients. In many
cases, physicians may speak a language that is too technical and quite
literally, foreign to the average individual. Additionally, a significant
number of patients, especially the elderly and immigrants, may not read
well, and are thus unable to read medical forms, understand consent
agreements, and even take medications in the appropriate manner. As more
Americans are becoming responsible for healthcare decisions, the need to
improve physician/patient communication and joint decision-making becomes
paramount. Understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, using pictures to
illustrate a point, and incorporating ³teach-back² techniques will also be
examined during this segment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT:

http://www.caucusnj.org/caucusnj/special_series/informed/health_literacy.asp

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HEALTH LITERACY: GUEST NOTES

Lois Greene

Director of the Cathedral Regional Cancer Center

As the Director of the Cathedral Regional Cancer Center, Loisıs
responsibilities include outreach and screening for medical oncology,
hematology, and hemophilia. Lois advises that the majority of patients go to
see a doctor and expect to be told what is wrong with them, and how it will
be ³fixed.² Only recently has the medical community embraced the idea that
communication between both parties is essential in identifying and
developing effective treatment and outcomes. Lois advises that health
professionals need to help patients understand that ³they are part of the
process and not there just to be dictated to.²

The availability of information on Internet health sites has had a
significant impact on younger patients. Unlike generations before them,
these patients are often better informed then their physicians about new
procedures and medications. This serves to further strain the doctor/patient
relationship. Lois states that insurance companies play an important role in
the physician/patient dynamic. Insurance rules and regulations often dictate
treatment modalities and medications. While she admits that managed care or
charity care cases often leave doctors little time to engage in ³shared and
informed decision making,² the importance of effective communication
strategies becomes even more important. It is the responsibility of every
member of the health professional team to make sure that the patient
understands what is being said, and what his/her options are, and to
actively engage in an agreed upon treatment plan. Greene can also articulate
cultural challenges faced in the delivery of healthcare services.

Gideon Sofer

Crohnıs Disease Advocate and Patient, President and Founder, IBDcure.org
Foundation, International (IBD: Inflammatory Bowel Disease)

Gideon, now 20 years of age, was diagnosed with Crohnıs disease at the age
of 12. Since his diagnosis, he has founded the Ibdcure.org Foundation
(Inflammatory Bowel Disease), a foundation dedicated to increasing awareness
of Crohnıs disease. Crohnıs Disease is an ³auto-immune² and incurable
illness that causes painful inflammation in the intestines, small bowel and
colon.

As an infant, Gideon was diagnosed with Bechetıs disorder, which is an
ulcer-based disease causing lesions on the skin and mouth. At the age of 5,
doctors thought that it might be Crohnıs disease, but never confirmed it.
Gideon has had significant health problems including several operations
during his life. He has been on a variety of drugs to treat his disease
including steroids, which would make his cheeks puffy and as a result kids
would make fun of him.

He came up with the idea to start his foundation, IBDcure.org Foundation,
International during one of his hospital stays while he was a sophomore in
high school. The IBDcure.org Foundation is composed of a stamp initiative,
lecturing, advocacy and research. Doctors didnıt have a lot of answers
regarding Crohnıs, so Gideon decided to create his foundation so that people
can learn more about the disease. In 1999 he started a stamp campaign to
create a stamp advocating for Crohnıs disease. Gideon has written to
Senators and his Congressman to push for the stamp. His ³Make a Wish² will
be fulfilled early in 2005 ­ he is meeting with the United States Postmaster
General to discuss the Crohnıs stamp. Gideon dedicates his life to helping
ensure equal opportunity for people with diseases and disabilities. When
physically able, he lectures at schools, universities and conferences to try
to motivate other students and individuals to pursue their dreams. He urges
physicians to take a look at their character. So many doctors have felt
sorry for him and he said that as a person with a disease, you do not need
to be pitied. The last two years have been very difficult health-wise for
Gideon ­much of which he has spent in hospitals. He looks forward to feeling
better and using his scholarship to UC Berkeley in the near future.

Helen Osborne

Author, Expert on Health Literacy, Founder, ³Health Literacy Month²

Helen Osborne is widely recognized for her expertise in health literacy and
patient education. As a speaker, writer, and consultant, Helen helps
healthcare organizations communicate in ways patients and families can
understand. She is president of Health Literacy Consulting in Natick, MA.
Founded in 1999, Health Literacy Month is a grassroots campaign that is held
during the month of October. Working with health professionals, literacy
specialists, professional associations, and healthcare organizations around
the world, Helen continues to lead this international campaign to raise
awareness about the importance of understandable health information.

As an occupational therapist, she has treated many patients who have limited
literacy, do not speak English, come from other cultures, are older, and
have trouble hearing, seeing, or remembering. Helen gives concrete
techniques that both healthcare professionals and patients can use to
improve communication. She advises that healthcare professionals need to
know in general to whom they are speaking and be able to identify potential
barriers to communication, be committed to communicating in ³whatever way
works,² this includes the use of drawings, acting out desired behaviors,
etc. Osborne notes that confirming understanding can best be facilitated by
incorporating ³teach-back techniques.² I.e., instead of saying ³Do you
understand?² say, ³I want to make sure I explained this correctly ­ tell me
or show me what you will do when you go home.²

Terry Shlimbaum, MD

Family Practice Physician, Board Chair of the NJ Academy of Family
Physicians

In addition to serving as the Board Chair of the NJ Academy of Family
Physicians, Dr. Shlimbaum is Medical Director of Outpatient Teaching Sites
for Hunterdon Family Practice Residency Program. Terry advises that
healthcare literacy issues and failures in communication are serious
healthcare problems and are costly both financially and physically. Patients
will be healthier if physicians communicate better. The doctor/patient
relationship requires trust and understanding. Dr. Shlimbaum advises that
physicians need to do the following to assist their patients: 1. acknowledge
that a communication problem exists, 2. use common language to explain
medical conditions and technologies, 3. ask the patient to repeat what has
been said, or write down the information and then ask to have it read it out
loud, 4. search for new models and methods to help with their communication
style.

Terry advises that he also incorporates the use of a ³translating phone²
when working with patients who are non English-speaking. While in the
examining room, the physician and patient use a translating service via the
phone. This real-time translating service translates both partiesı questions
and answers. Shlimbaum admits that he has access to these types of services
because works in a teaching hospital. Less affluent medical systems or
offices may not be able to afford this type of service. He notes that the
best-case scenario would be to have a bi-lingual health educator available
to work with each physician, though the cost for this service would be
prohibitive. Terry states that the use of translators in any capacity is
critical, however, and states that it does take much longer than the
standard 15-minute visit.

He advocates for physicians and other healthcare professionals to develop
models that will speed the process and increase the likelihood of a positive
outcome. Dr. Shlimbaum also suggests that patientıs have a ³to-do² list too:
1. be prepared before make the call or visit a healthcare professional
(i.e., pain ­ be able to describe where the pain is, how long it has been
there, what makes it worse, what makes it better, etc.) 2. bring all
medications that the patient is taking with him/her to the appointment and
3. have another person with you to ³assist and points things out.² Patients
incorrectly following their medication regimes accounts for a large number
of hospitalizations. Dr. Shlimbaum feels that this is critical area of
concern in the health literacy field.
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To view a clip of the program on WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER, please visit:

http://www.caucusnj.org/caucusnj/special_series/informed/1906.wmv


To view a full transcript of the program, please visit:

http://www.caucusnj.org/caucusnj/special_series/informed/health_trans.pdf

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