The Consortium

Patient Education and Consumer Health - Terms of Reference

For the purposes of this sub-committee, patient education focuses on promoting health literacy (as defined by the Calgary Charter) to individuals, families and community members to help them effectively manage their health journey.  This includes empowering patients to access and evaluate reliable and accurate health information. With understanding that partnering with staff and clinicians ensures patients and families have the skills and knowledge to manage their care and to make informed decisions and lead healthier lives.

Scope:
The Patient Education and Consumer Health Subcommittee supports Consortium members' adherence to and promotion of professional standards in health science library services. It assists members in preparing for the review of their library services in their institution's accreditation process. This includes monitoring of new or revised standards for library services in health care institutions and helping members ensure their adherence to those standards. The subcommittee also works to assist members in communicating the importance of the health science information professional's skills and knowledge, as well as the critical role library and information services play in achieving excellence in patient care, research and teaching in member institutions.

Tasks:

• Monitor developments in library services and core competencies for library positions, both national and international (e.g. those of CHLA-ABCS and MLA) and communicate with members regarding these developments.
• Maintain an up-to-date literature review for our members on the role of hospital / health libraries in meeting institutional goals of excellence in patient education and health literacy
• Plan and host continuing education events to further support effective library service delivery in the area of Patient Education and/or Consumer health.
• Advocate for the role of Health Information Professionals in the effective delivery of Patient education
• Utilize current technology to provide a ‘space’ for our members to share information and tools, which may be customized for use in our members’ environments. Examples are: promotional materials, ppt presentations and learning modules. 
• Conduct a periodic needs assessment to aid in the planning of the subcommittee’s work.

Membership:

Membership is open to all staff in Consortium member libraries to a maximum of 10 members.  

Chair:

A chair will be chosen from among the subcommittee’s members and will serve for a maximum of three years.

Meetings:

Meetings will be held quarterly, with other business being conducted by email. Meetings are open to all Consortium members.