Acknowledgement
This assessment tool is influenced by and includes content from D DeWalt et al., Improve Written Communication Assessment Tool, Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit: Communication Self-Assessment, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville MD, 2014, viewed 21 July 2014, www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html
Directions
Select one answer that most accurately describes your Service:
- Doing well: Our service is doing this well
- Could be better: Our service is doing this, but could do it better
- Not doing: Our service is not doing this
- Not sure or N/A: I don't know the answer, or it is not applicable to our service
No. | Question | Doing well | Could be better | Not doing | Not sure / NA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Staff have easy access to a skilled writer who knows how to identify, prepare and simplify written materials | ||||
2 | Staff have reviewed all written material provided to consumers using a comprehensive assessment tool. (See note at the bottom of this sheet) | ||||
3 | Health education materials are concise, use plain language and use standard methods to make them easy to read and use. | ||||
4 | Forms used by the service collect only necessary information | ||||
5 | Staff have reviewed all forms completed by consumers using a comprehensive assessment tool | ||||
6 | All forms intended for consumer use and data collection are concise, written in plain language and use standard methods to make them easy to read and use | ||||
7 | Staff test new written materials (including forms) for appeal and comprehension with consumers | ||||
8 | Appointment cards are given to consumers with follow-up appointments. Cards include date, time, place, name of healthcare provider, how to change the appointment, what to bring and how to prepare, if relevant | ||||
9 | Written materials are available in languages other than English (for example, can be downloaded and provided as needed) | ||||
10 | Written materials are available in Easy English (for example, can be downloaded and provided as needed) |
NOTE: To assess individual pieces of written commnication, see Assessing readability in this toolkit.
January 2019