Open Forum at MLA 09 on Health Information Literacy Research Project
The Medical Library Association (MLA), in partnership and with funding from the U.S. National Library of Medicine, undertook a Health Information Literacy Research Project to study, among other issues, the librarian’s role as a health literacy educator for both health care providers and consumers. Through the results of a survey of health care providers and hospital administrators, and the development, presentation, and evaluation of a health information literacy curriculum for health care providers based in part on the survey results, MLA concluded that librarians were perceived by hospital-based providers and administrators to play a critical role in the provision of health information literacy (HIL) education.
Also, the study demonstrated that HIL training increased health care providers’ knowledge of health literacy and its impact on patient care and made them more likely to seek assistance from their librarians and use librarian-supported health information literacy services.
Come hear more about the results of this important research project including reports from two of the nine pilot site librarians who helped to test the developed curriculum with health care providers. Panel speakers include:
- Jean P. Shipman, Co-principal investigator and Director, Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
- Andrea Harrow, Good Samaritan Hospital Health Sciences Library
- Holly Kimborowicz, Lake Hospital System Medical Library
Date/Time/Location: Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 – 8:30 AM, Room 304AB, Convention Center
Questions, email Jean Shipman at jean.shipman@utah.ed
