Dr. Audrey Riffenburgh is President of Health Literacy Connections (formerly Plain Language Works), a woman-owned business based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She earned a Ph.D. in Health Communication in 2017. Her doctoral research examined challenges in implementing health literacy initiatives in healthcare organizations. Her consulting, training and coaching services are informed by her research, her experience working in a healthcare system, and her many years of experience in the field.
Audrey is passionate about partnering with healthcare organizations to advance the quality and safety of care, patient engagement, and patient-centered care. Bringing health literacy into key organizational initiatives is one of the best ways to move the needle in these areas.
Since 1994, Health Literacy Connections has guided professionals in the healthcare, public health, and disability communities in reaching their audiences with clear communications. It has also guided organizations in making system-wide changes to address health literacy. In addition, Health Literacy Connections has created many plain language and low literacy materials in English and Spanish.
Examples of Riffenburgh’s and HLC’s Work
- Co-authored Building Health Literate Organizations: A Guidebook to Achieving Organizational Change
- Presented at the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Health Literacy: Organizational Change to Improve Health Literacy (2013) The IOM is a leading policy group moving the health literacy agenda forward.
- Served as faculty for the Health Literacy Summer Institute in Maine, the premier learning opportunity for plain language health communication.
- As the Senior Health Literacy Specialist at UNM Hospitals, Riffenburgh led the initiative to improve all aspects of communication with patients and promoted system changes to improve quality of care.
- Created and field tested a “mini-fotonovela” on poison safety in Spanish and English for national distribution through the national poison control centers network.
Contact Audrey