This week is Health Information Week (#HIW2021), a national, multi-sector campaign promoting high-quality, trustworthy healthcare information for patients and the public, which EIDO Healthcare will be supporting and promoting on our website, and social media channels.
EIDO has always been committed to delivering world-class, treatment specific, informed consent patient information helping healthcare professionals consistently achieve excellence in patient care and clinical governance. All our peer reviewed consent documentation now holds the PIF TICK accreditation, a UK wide quality mark awarded after detailed scrutiny from the Patient Information Forum.
By achieving PIF TICK accreditation EIDO has shown their resources meet a stringent set of criteria including:
- We are created using a consistent and documented process
- Information is based on reliable, up-to-date evidence
- Documents are written in plain English
- Print and digital information is easy to use and navigate
The PIF TICK was awarded to EIDO after a thorough application and assessment process which is now clearly shown on all consent documentation to give patients and healthcare professionals full confidence in the quality of the resources and information they are using to make shared informed decisions.
In addition, Julie Smith, Content Director at EIDO, has joined the PIF Sounding Board. who use their expertise and experience to provide a health information professional’s perspective on information and resources to determine if it is effective, relevant and meets the needs of end-users.
As part of EIDO’s ongoing commitment to health literacy and understanding all our informed consent documentation also:
- Meets NHS England’s Information Standard Certification
- Holds the Plain English Campaign Crystal Mark
- Is peer reviewed, evidence based and regularly updated
- Collaborates closely with The Patients Association on our rigorous review processes
- Most are available in over 20 languages
The importance of information accreditation in consent
A recent survey by the Patient Information Forum found that 80% of people would look for some form of quality mark on health information. It also identified the need for information to be:
- Evidence based
- In plain English
- Written and presented by real experts
With access to some health services being restricted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients have sought health information from other sources which has meant that the PIF TICK is now more important than ever before.
Increased use of “Dr Google” or Facebook groups offering non-medical advice and support has meant information used to make medical consent decisions can be misleading, confusing, out of date and is often incorrect.
Delivering trusted healthcare information
EIDO work with expert healthcare specialists every day to ensure patient consent documentation and systems are of the highest possible standard.
Our library holds around 400 treatment-specific documents developed and curated by practicing specialists which are peer reviewed and continually updated in line with the latest medico-legal guidance.
For more information on the PIF TICK and the accreditation process from the Patient Information Forum patient visit www.PIFTICK.org.uk or contact EIDO for more information.
