Summer Institute: June 8-11, 2008
Fall Institute (repeat): October 26-29, 2008

Learn plain language skills to communicate your health messages quickly and clearly to diverse consumer audiences. The Institutes offer:

	Excellence in training, materials, and venue
	Hands-on learning followed by individualized coaching
	Proven track record and hundreds of satisfied participants

Click here to learn more about the 2008 Institutes.

Health Literacy: Addressing the Health Communication Gap

Does your health organization communicate effectively with your audiences? Most do not. Professionals usually communicate way above the abilities of most adults to understand – in print, in person, and in eHealth applications. This communication gap affects everyone, but especially the 93 million American adults with limited literacy skills. Limited health literacy is the problem. Vibrant plain language, used across delivery systems, is a solution.

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Rx: Plain Language

Vibrant plain language can help your organization:

	Improve consumer understanding and satisfaction
	Improve consumers’ abilities to partner with their healthcare providers
	Increase safety and quality of care
	Trim the bottom line through increased efficiency
	Meet legal and accreditation requirements
	Delight your customers

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Building Plain Language Skills

Creating effective plain language information requires more than good intentions and goodwill. It requires skills. The process of skill building starts at the Summer or Fall Institute, continues with follow-up coaching, and increases as you practice.

Who We Are

The 2008 Institutes are sponsored by the:

Health Literacy Institute Center for Health Policy, Planning & Research University of New England, Portland, Maine (Principal: Sue Stableford, MPH, MSB)

Additional workshops and trainings are offered by Institute co-founders:

	Plain Language Works, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Principal: Audrey Riffenburgh, MA)
	Mettger Communications, Takoma Park, Maryland (Principal: Wendy Mettger, MA)

Click here to learn more about Institute co-founders and services they offer in health literacy/plain language training, consulting, coaching, and communications.

Click here to learn more about the 2008 Health Literacy Institutes.

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