Looking for Accuracy: Helping Patients Navigate Online Health Resources

Lisa Calderwood, MA

Senior Medical Writer

Wikipedia? YouTube? Facebook? LinkedIn? Twitter? WebMD? How can patients navigate the crowded blogosphere of medical information, health tips, community forums, or “med ed” videos to find the most accurate resources? The truth is that they simply can’t be sure they’re getting the most reliable information.

Consider a couple of recent studies looking at accuracy in online health-related sources:

• In a study by the Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) reviewed in MedPage Today (YouTube Not Ideal for BP), the authors considered 33% of YouTube videos about hypertension to be “misleading” but deemed 63% to be more “useful” because they were aligned with recommendations from the Seventh Joint National Committee of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the American Heart Association 
• In a study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) (Caution Prescribed When Researching Medical Conditions on Wikipedia),  Dr. Robert Hasty and colleagues found that Wikipedia’s publicly edited medical articles are 90% inaccurate

Both of these studies are more striking when you consider that 72% of internet users say they look online for health information. That’s a lot of people looking for information about hypertension and other chronic illnesses who may be sidetracked by inaccurate or incomplete information.

The news isn’t all bad. The JAOA study notes that there is a push on Wikipedia to have statements backed by references and unverifiable statements being called out to readers.

In addition, in an exploratory study published in Nurse Education Today (Wikipedia as an evidence source for nursing and healthcare students) Dr. Carol Haigh evaluated more than 2500 references from more than 50 Wikipedia pages and found they were of “sufficiently sound quality to suggest that, for health related entries, Wikipedia is appropriate for use by nursing students.”

Online research guidelines for patients

So what is a patient to do when exploring thousands of online resources for treatment options for a chronic illness or disease? Or, where should someone who is trying to self-diagnose a suspicious rash or lingering pain start a search? No matter what the reason for turning to the Internet for information—convenience, immediacy, lack of information from or access to a healthcare professional—caution seems to be the operative word.

Dr. Hasty and his colleagues from the Wikipedia study suggest that “caution should be used when using Wikipedia to answer questions regarding patient care.” They also recommend that patients

• Consult with their physicians about treatment options and to discuss questions about prescriptions or over-the-counter medications 
• Use multiple medical resources to get different perspectives 
• Look for websites with medical advisory boards and peer-reviewed content

Dr. Nilay Kumar with CHA says that doctors need to do more to help educate their patients, as well. “Given the fact that so many patients with chronic diseases look at medical information online, the medical community must take a more proactive approach in prescribing medical information to patients,” he said.

Helping pharmaceutical companies educate patients

With today’s focus on patient-centered care and patients searching for and selecting their own health information resources, the need for accurate, reliable information is paramount. Pharmaceutical companies play an important role in the process by providing medical professionals with informative tools to help their patients make informed decisions about their treatment options.

Artcraft Health produces digital and print educational solutions for pharmaceutical companies that are grounded in research from public health organizations, federal agencies, and universities, such as the American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, and Harvard Medical School. We employ targeted, health literacy teaching strategies that reflect the most current guidelines and are carefully assessed for accuracy. 

We understand that online healthcare resources play an important role in supplementing patients’ educational needs. Importantly, though, when patients receive clear, actionable, relevant, and engaging educational tools from their doctor or nurse—such as the strategies Artcraft Health develops—they are more empowered to make optimal treatment decisions with their healthcare team and adhere to appropriate therapies.

You Are Not Alone

Samantha Reba

It’s a hard concept to understand. After a long day at work, we head home without taking a minute to think about the other hundreds of thousands others who are doing the same thing. It’s easy to feel alone in the world. 

We’ve all experienced death: death of a family member, friend, or pet. We’ve all known someone who has had or is currently battling a life-threatening disease. But in a world that is so big, how can there be others out there who understand and feel the way that we feel?

Health education makes it easier to understand that we are not alone. Through the countless articles, brochures, posters, and commercials, there is hope.

We’ve seen family and friends plagued by illness and death throughout the years. In times like these, sometimes you need more than flowers or a sympathetic card. If you’re feeling lost, alone, or confused, speak to your doctor about educational materials including brochures, posters, or videos. It’s easy to feel alone, but health education can help ease the pain and the burden by instilling the knowledge and understanding that we are not alone.

Artcraft Health Education can make patients feel less alone. The health education information that AHE develops allows patients an understanding of their disease and that they are not alone. In this world, it’s easy to feel alone, but Artcraft Health Education gives you the materials to gain control and understanding of what you’re going through.

For more information about Artcraft Health Education, please visit our Web site at www.artcrafthealthed.com.

About Artcraft Health Education

Artcraft Health Education is a marketing communications agency specializing in educational solutions for healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. Our extensive background with pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices enables us to meet most any challenge in health education. Our patient education materials empower patients to better understand their condition and treatment goals and make more informed treatment decisions. Better understanding by patients can help clients achieve their health outcome goals and marketing objectives. For more information about Artcraft Health Education, please visit our Web site at www.artcrafthealthed.com.

Summer Disease-State Camps

Tom Savonick, Senior Medical Writer

I’m more than a few decades past my summer camp days, but I still vividly recall the sights, sounds, and excitement of Camp Waywayanda, a YMCA camp in the hills of rural Northern New Jersey. In those halcyon days, we swam, played games, told ghost stories around the campfire, and annoyed the local bass with baited hooks that an energetic 8-year-old just couldn’t hold still. Every day at camp seemed the best day ever, and that’s an experience no child should miss.

But, summer camp can be a difficult experience for children with special medical needs. They may not be able to play all the games if a bleeding disorder rules out some of the rougher activities. They may not be able to pig out on fresh s’mores if they haven’t learned how to control their type 1 diabetes. And, they may miss out on the swim if today is their day for chemotherapy.

Fortunately, there are summer camps with activities and education custom tailored for children with special medical needs, such as diabetes, hemophilia, cancer, asthma, and other, less common, conditions. One of the great things about these camps is that every camper there knows what it’s like to have the condition. At camp, kids meet and learn from other kids and adult counselors who:

•  Understand first-hand what it’s like to have their condition
• Share their strategies for coping with their condition
• Learn how to turn everyday challenges into everyday triumphs 
• Inspire campers with their personal accomplishments at school, in play, and at work 
• Help campers make new friends and develop their own lifelong support systems

Fun and education for children with special medical needs are the dual purposes of Artcraft Health Specialty Camps. We are the country's leading creator and producer of national support programs for disease state summer camps. We've developed compelling programs for campers, camp counselors, and clinician educators at specialty camps for asthma, oncology, diabetes, and hemophilia.

In addition to the benefits that our programs provide to campers, they also provide significant benefits to the companies that sponsor the camps:\

• Increases access for field forces
• Reinforces relationships with healthcare professionals, parents, young patients, and the community 
• Builds relationships with clinical staff at camps
• Connects with parent through unbranded, educational take-home materials

Our programs can include any combination of fun and education while empowering campers to feel more in control of their condition. As the lead medical writer on the summer camp program, it’s been a rewarding experience for me to know that I’m helping kids have fun, gain independence, and learn about their conditions. It’s also been a blast to recall those great days I had at summer camp. Like the time when we all got together to lift the head counselor’s tiny German car into a tree about 6 feet off the ground. Or, the time the can of beans exploded in the campfire. I could go on, but maybe it’s time to help a new set of campers create their own memories.

If you’d like to learn more about our disease state camp programs, please visit:

http://www.artcrafthealthed.com/solutions/specialty-camps.aspx

A Reflection From A Medical Writer

I have arrived, yet another day at work as a medical writer...I sit down at my desk, prioritize my deadlines, and turn on my computer eager to uncover the answers and find the words to help improve the health outcomes of others.
 

I have 8.5 hours to educate patients about a novel treatment option for their recurrent brain cancer; parents about a medicine that can help their babies breathe as they lay helpless in the NICU; and young children about the risks of high blood pressure and what it means to take part in a clinical trial. Is this possible?  I often come across as overwhelmed, which I am, but overwhelmed with anticipation as I contemplate how each of these audiences will respond to the content I reveal about their condition. I read through the clinical data, the published journal articles, and prescribing information. I struggle to find the patient-friendly, yet clinically accurate terms that will communicate each of these disease states and treatment options. I have an important job.

Each and every day I am tasked with finding common ground between brand objectives; medical, legal, regulatory reviews; financial scope; healthcare provider initiatives; and the needs of patients and caregivers. Who is my audience I ask? How can we all benefit from the words I choose to educate about a specific condition or treatment? How do I empower patients in one sentence, yet tell them to always talk to their doctor in the next? There are so many considerations, so many consequences to take into account and I think to myself, is it possible to adhere to my true purpose and passion in life...to motivate patients to take control of their health.

My contemplation becomes an affirmative reality when months later I walk into my OB/GYN's office to see my words explaining the menstrual cycle posted on the wall. And when I hear the nurse educators describe the positive impact of a teaching easel I wrote about brain cancer and the success of a diabetes book for kids encouraging them to make healthy choices that went digital. The many hours of researching, writing, and collaborating with my colleagues and clients pays off. 

I am not alone in my motivation to help others. I work with a team of very passionate and dedicated people who discuss, develop, and design the most impactful patient and professional education with the end-user in mind. My words are only the beginning. I am amazed by what transforms with the artistic insight of our graphic designers, medical illustrators, and medical animators. My words come to life. Together we tell a story. A story that is accurate, insightful, and inviting. A story that will make a positive difference in the lives of others. 

All in a day's work!

Lynn Altmaier, BS, BSN, RN, MSc

                                                                                                                  Senior Medical Writer at AHE

Creating Life Long Learning Through Specialty Camps

Samantha Reba

Junior Writer

Every child deserves to go to camp regardless of the medical issues they might have. Artcraft Health Education, through its partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and educational materials, helps make it possible for children with hemophilia, asthma, diabetes, and cancer to be able to have a camp experience, away from their hospital beds and worried parents.

At these specialty camps, children work with certified counselors who are trained in the specific illness areas. The directors work one-on-one with the children. Children up to the age 14 get the chance to spend time with other children who have the same medical needs. These camps are where friendships can be made and independence and understanding can be born. Children are taught about their diseases and how to take control of their bodies and illnesses.

These camps are based on a structure that is supported by specialized programs and educational materials, created by Artcraft Health Education. Artcraft Health Education makes the materials informative, fun, and easy to understand.

These camps are the perfect opportunity for Artcraft Health Education writers to add in a little fun. “It’s a chance to be creative,” said Tom Savonick, Medical Writer and lead writer on specialty camp content. Tom has come up with creative ways for campers with hemophilia to start thinking about their future careers and has been able to incorporate an original game of hacky sack into a camp curriculum. The game involved a group of children kicking around a woven, fabric ball filled with soft beads to one another.

Through these sponsored camps, pharmaceutical companies can show their compassion and create a connection with camper’s parents or guardians. These camps allow children to have fun while learning to use tools that will help them for the rest of their lives.

For more information about Artcraft Health Education and its specialty camps, please visit our website at www.artcrafthealthed.com.

About Artcraft Health Education

Artcraft Health Education is a marketing communications agency specializing in educational solutions for healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. Our extensive background with pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and medical devices enables us to meet most any challenge in health education. Our patient education materials empower patients to better understand their condition and treatment goals and make more informed treatment decisions. Better understanding by patients can help clients achieve their health outcome goals and marketing objectives. For more information about Artcraft Health Education, please visit our website at www.artcrafthealthed.com.