In addition to focusing on academics, student learning and faculty resources, PJ is a proponent of expanding student research opportunities into patient education frameworks, information literacy and where these concepts intersect with community and population health. His past work included building a statewide consumer health information network, a clinical information delivery consortium for community hospitals and a survey of hospital librarians’ e-resources purchasing habits in the southeastern United States.
Health literacy and patient education are important component of U.S. healthcare delivery as documented by the Institute of Medicine, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services and others. The Patient Education Needs Assessment in Osteopathic Healthcare Centers is comprised of collecting baseline information about patient education from three data points: one is the physician/patient dynamic which will be accomplished through a series of physician-shadowing observations; the second is small physician, healthcare students and psychologist based focus groups, and third is a short patient survey. Collecting data using these three methodologies permits an assessment that is comprehensive. The baseline evidence from this assessment will be evaluated, compiled and conclusions formed. The reported conclusions can be used as a basis for future study where goals would be more targeted toward specific aspects of overall patient population.
Flaherty, M.; Grier, P. 2014. Publication. Statewide initiative to embed consumer health librarians in Public Libraries: a case study. Public Library Quarterly. 33:4, 296-303, DOI: 10.1080/01616846.2014.970109
Grier, P.; Murphy, B. 2015. Publication. On the trail of an EHR. Journal of Hospital Librarianship. 15:1, DOI. 10.1080/15323269.2015.982039
Information Seeking and End-of-Life Decision-making
Terminally ill patients and their caregivers face complicated choices about palliative
services and end-of-life (EOL) care, including decisions related to completing a DNR
order or advance directive, selecting a health care proxy, and utilizing hospice services.
The Delaware Experiment - A Health Literacy Delivery Collaborative
A multi-year demonstration pilot that was designed to provide up-to-date patient education
and community health information in public libraries statewide.
