Finding and Using Patient Education Materials
- Martha M. Funnell, MS, RN, CDE
A great many things have changed with the implementation of the new pharmaceutical company regulations. Along with pens, notepads, and other trinkets, the educational materials produced by these companies are no longer allowed in many health care settings. Because many of these booklets and pamphlets provided an overview of diabetes and its treatment, providers often gave these materials to patients as reliable sources of information. Although these materials were not a substitute for education, they reinforced the information patients were given, provided a reference for when patients were home and had questions, and could be read by patients' family members to help them better understand diabetes.
Finding Patient Education Materials
The good news is that there are a variety of other reliable resources where health care providers can obtain materials to distribute to patients. Both Internet-based and print materials are available. Although some patients, are able to obtain information if you provide them with websites, most practices find it more efficient to download and print these materials and hand them out to patients, just as they did with …
