Trainings & Continuing Education

Erie Niagara AHEC is dedicated to preparing a culturally responsive healthcare workforce to engage with diverse, underserved, and underrepresented patients. Training offerings address current and emerging health issues.

We can customize trainings to meet the needs of your organization.

For more information, contact:

Wendy Kinsinger 

716.835.9358, ext. 104

New!  Monthly Virtual Trainings

Held the third Tuesday of the month from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

$25 per person - Scroll down for training descriptions

Teach-Back Method

February 21, 2023

10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Introduction to Cultural Competency

March 21, 2023

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Intermediate Cultural Competency

April 18, 2023

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Implicit Bias and Debiasing

September 20, 2022

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Introduction to Health Literacy

October 18, 2022

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

​

Intermediate Health Literacy

November 15, 2022

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Social Determinants of Health

January 17, 2023

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

​

Cultural Competence: 
Introduction and Intermediate

The introductory training explains the benefits of culturally competent healthcare delivery, such as improved patient safety, communication, and satisfaction.  The session addresses social and cultural identities, and the barriers that prevent people from working effectively in cross-cultural situations.  Participants will gain an understanding of cultural humility, intersectionality, and how power and privilege dynamics play a role in everyday interactions with patients.  Attendees will learn strategies to implement culturally competent practices. 

The intermediate training addresses the benefits of becoming a culturally competent healthcare organization, including health and social benefits, as well as efficiency of care.  Participants will gain an understanding of the underlying causes of cultural insensitivity and the necessary conditions for change.  This session includes activities exploring bias and covers multiple debiasing techniques.  Attendees will learn the steps to create organizational cultural proficiency. 

Health Literacy:
Introduction and Intermediate

In the introductory training participants will learn the key concepts of health literacy and how it impacts patient safety, health outcomes, and health care costs.  This session addresses the causes of low health literacy, such as social determinants of health and cultural barriers.  Attendees will be introduced to strategies to address limited health literacy, such as universal precautions, shared decision-making, the Teach-Back Method, and more. 

The intermediate training covers strategies for becoming a health literate organization where all patients can succeed and thrive.  Participants will learn the steps to build a team, create an improvement plan, and implement change.  This session includes the Agency of Health Care Research and Quality (AHCRQ) Health Literacy Tool Kit and Implementation guidelines.

Social Determinants of Health

This training explains the social factors contributing to health disparities, including education, neighborhood, and economic stability that result in disproportionately poor health outcomes such as high infant mortality rates, lower life expectancy, and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease.  Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the causes and manifestations of social inequities that have a direct impact on health in their communities.  This session includes strategies to address the social factors that cause health disparities.

Implicit Bias and Debiasing Techniques

Participants in this training will gain an understanding of the origins and purpose of bias and the way it impacts interactions and decisions in healthcare.  This session provides a comprehensive exploration of implicit bias, micromessages, and cultural humility.  Participants will learn practical de-biasing techniques and how to intentionally incorporate these strategies to improve healthcare delivery.

The Teach-Back Method

The Teach-Back Method is a low-cost way to prevent medical errors, improve health outcomes and increase patient satisfaction.  This session reviews the scope of low health literacy and the need for clearer patient-provider communication.  Participants in this training will gain actionable skills to ensure patients clearly understand and are able to act upon medical information from providers.  Attendees will learn Teach-Back techniques and practice using them.  The training emphasizes the importance of a shame-free approach, emphathy, and active listening.

The Providers and Teens Communicating for Health (PATCH) program strives to bring youth voices into important adolescent health conversations while providing the knowledge, skills, and opportunities they need to be drivers of change in their community. THEY are the ones who can provide authentic insight into the concerns, ideas, and preferences of their generation. Our Teen Educators facilitate workshops for fellow teens and healthcare providers in pursuit of this goal. 

​

Erie Niagara AHEC is the Site Coordinator of PATCH for HOPE Buffalo. For questions or to schedule a workshop, contact bmitchell@erieniagaraahec.org.