Value Statement for Patient Education Materials Review Process

Effective communication between providers and patients is critical to the success of evolving HIV treatment modalities and the health of patients. As guidelines for these treatments are developed and updated, the identification of effective means for communicating treatment issues in the form of patient education materials is critical to promoting patient participation in treatment decisions, improving patient compliance with often complex treatment regimens and achieving maximal health benefits. Therefore, the AETC National Resource Center (NRC) is dedicated to identifying, reviewing and increasing accessibility of high quality patient education materials that are useful for providers and their patients.

In order to achieve this goal, the NRC has developed a three-step patient education materials review process. The process places emphasis on evaluations from patients living with HIV and AIDS and review by experts in HIV/AIDS care and treatment. Under the leadership of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute (NYSDOH/AI) all materials are reviewed for scientific accuracy, currency, reading level and suggested use. Materials also undergo patient/peer review to assess cultural relevance, efficacy of communication and usefulness for the intended target audience.

Materials that have successfully undergone this review process are posted on the NRC web page. Purchasing and distribution information is provided for materials that are not available in format for posting on the web.

Organizations are encouraged to submit materials for review. Please follow the link "directions for submitting materials" or call the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute at (518) 474-3459.