UpToDate Patient Education, part of the comprehensive UpToDate clinical decision support system by Wolters Kluwer, provides over 8,000 evidence-based topics in up to 19 languages for patients and caregivers. The content is designed to be easily accessible and understandable, supporting shared medical decision-making between clinicians and patients.
Key Features and Capabilities
- Extensive Content Library: Over 8,000 patient education topics covering common medical conditions and procedures.
- Multi-Language Support: Content available in up to 19 languages, including English and Spanish.
- Two Reading Levels: Topics are offered in two formats to cater to varying patient needs:
- The Basics: Short (1-3 page) articles written at a basic reading level, answering the most important questions.
- Beyond the Basics: Longer (5-10 page) articles with more detailed information and some medical terms. Beyond the Basics content is often available free to the public.
- Multimedia Resources: Includes integrated full-color pictures, graphics, charts, and engaging, interactive multimedia programs and videos.
- EHR Integration: Seamlessly integrates with major Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and patient portals (e.g., Epic, MyChart) for distribution at the point of care or after a clinical encounter.
- Distribution Options: Topics can be emailed directly to the patient, viewed on a patient portal, or printed at the point of care.
- Clinical Alignment: Patient education content is aligned with the same evidence-based clinical information used by clinicians in UpToDate.
Target Users and Use Cases
UpToDate Patient Education is primarily used by healthcare professionals (physicians, nurses, medical students, and other clinicians) to facilitate communication and shared decision-making with patients and caregivers. It is a key component for healthcare organizations seeking to improve patient engagement, ensure consistency of information, and meet regulatory requirements like Meaningful Use Stage 2 for patient-specific educational resources.