TALENT DEVELOPMENT (TD) DIMENSIONS: October 1 2022

Learning Leaders,


October is Health Literacy Month!

Your Mercy Care WFD Team presents this “care, share, and explore” opportunity for the month of October. Our goal is to connect you with the global training and development community to help you grow your professional skills, knowledge and abilities.

Monthly Focus: A global focus to consider incorporating into this month’s learning events.

  • • Current Focus: A global focus to consider incorporating into this month’s TD/WFD events.
  • • Color: No designated color, but we’ve chosen Orange to fit will the fall theme.
  • • About: Healthcare interventions require clear communication between professionals and members/patients in order to improve outcomes and, at times, save lives.
  • Support Ideas:
    1. Language: Use simple and common language to reach a wide audience. Doing so helps with understanding. For instance, instead of telling a member/patient what might “exacerbate” a condition, consider telling them what might “making it worse.”
    2. Voice: Instead of writing/speaking in passive voice, chose active voice instead. The active voice is more direct and current. For instance, instead of telling a member/patient that medication “will be” available over the counter, consider telling them that medication “is” available over the counter.
    3. Jargon: Use as little jargon as possible, but when necessary provide an explanation. For instance, instead of explaining that a member/patient is at risk for a “cardiovascular event”, explain that they are at risk for a “heart attack”.
    4. SHARE: Incorporate members/patients in shared decision making, to enable them to be part of their own treatment process:
    Seek the member’s participation in the discussion: “I’d like us to talk about adding a medication to your current treatment program.”
    Help them explore and compare options: “There are two medications that I would recommend. Both have side effects. Let’s explore both of them…”
    Assess their values and preferences: “Based upon the side effects we talked about, which are you most likely to be able to manage?”
    Reach a decision with your member: “So which medication do you prefer?”
    Evaluate the decision: “Your choice sounds good. You’ll get the help you need, while avoiding side effects that you don’t like.”
  • • Resources: Consider the following resources:
    1. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) SHARE Approach and Tools
    2. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Health Literacy Resources


    Now Trending Spotlight on a TD industry trend to incorporate into your TD practice.

    • Idea: Social Learning, sometimes referred to as Peer Learning.
    • What:Involves sharing information both casually and formally amongst peers in an interactive setting, where the trainer serves primarily to moderate and facilitate the discussion toward the intended theme(s).
    • Why:It can help learners grasp ideas quickly and retain them longer since they are included in the process of building their own learning experience. It can also help establish the organization as a learning culture. It’s a tool to build trust because colleagues help each other learn.
    • How:Examples may include: Post situations/hypotheses on a message board that learners can access and respond to. Provide a reading assignment in class and have learners discuss. Build a problem/resolution activity into the training event. Divide into teams and one team has to debate pros and the other cons of a particular topic. Provide group collaboration projects tied to specific outcomes/expectations. Etc.


    Current Quote: We leave you with a final thought and words of encouragement
    We ignore the air we breathe until it is thin or foul. We ignore literacy when it is the oxygen of social intercourse.”
    ~ Author, E D Hirsch, Jr.

    Interested in contributing to a future addition of TD Dimensions? Contact us at wfd@mercycareaz.org

Mike Tripp

Sr. Trainer and Learning Consultant