Khmer GI Patient Education Design Framework & Learning Toolkit

Overview

The Khmer GI Patient Education Design Framework & Learning Toolkit is an emerging culturally adapted learning project designed to support Khmer-speaking limited English proficient adults before and after colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures. It represents the current learning-design-first portfolio phase of the broader Sokhapheap Initiative.

This flagship project now includes five connected portfolio artifacts: a learner profile, patient journey and accessibility module flow, teach-back checklist, sample visual patient education handout, and multimedia video storyboard. Together, these artifacts show how the toolkit could support Khmer-speaking LEP patients before, during, and after colonoscopy or endoscopy procedures.

What I Designed

Project Evolution

This project began with an early Sokhapheap Khmer app concept. As the project developed, I recognized that the learning foundation needed to come before the technology. The current portfolio phase focuses on a clinic-facing instructional design framework with learner analysis, module flow, teach-back support, accessibility considerations, multimedia learning, and patient education prototype materials.

What Exists Now and What Comes Next

What exists now:

• Professional interpreting experience and problem identification
• Three manuscript-based research foundations
• Sokhapheap Khmer app concept and ethical pause
• Five active portfolio artifacts focused on learning design before technology

Active portfolio artifacts:

• Learner Profile
• Patient Journey & Accessibility Module Flow
• Teach-Back Checklist
• Sample Visual Patient Education Handout
• Multimedia Video Storyboard

Future phase:

• Project brief
• Additional patient education handouts
• Khmer-language draft materials
• Expanded video scripts
• Patient confidence survey prototype
• Expert review
• Implementation guide
• Possible future digital extension

Problem

Interpreters help patients communicate in real time, but interpretation alone does not always provide lasting learning support. Patients may still struggle to remember preparation steps, understand medical restrictions, recognize warning signs, or feel confident asking questions after the encounter ends.

Audience

Primary audience: Khmer-speaking LEP adult patients preparing for colonoscopy or endoscopy procedures.

Secondary audience: healthcare educators, nurses, interpreters, GI clinics, patient access teams, and healthcare organizations serving multilingual communities.

My Role

Emerging instructional designer, Khmer-English medical interpreter, researcher, writer, and prototype developer.

Research Foundation

This project is grounded in more than six years of professional Khmer-English medical interpreting experience and three professional practice manuscripts exploring language access, health beliefs, medical mistrust, cultural validation, and patient education gaps.

Learning Goal

Patients will be able to understand key pre-operative and post-operative instructions, follow preparation steps, identify when to ask for help, and use teach-back to confirm understanding.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the learning experience, patients should be able to:

• Identify what they can and cannot eat or drink before the procedure.
• Follow the bowel preparation timeline correctly.
• Describe what to expect on the day of the procedure.
• Recognize urgent post-operative symptoms.
• Explain instructions back in their own words using teach-back prompts.

Planned Artifacts

• Written and illustrated pre-op instructions
• Pre-op preparation video
• Day-of-procedure calming video
• Post-op visual care instructions
• Large-print and high-contrast versions
• Captions and transcripts
• Future expert validation report
• Future implementation guide

Planned Design Process

1. Identify the communication and learning gap.
2. Analyze adult learner needs, health literacy barriers, and cultural context.
3. Translate research insights into instructional goals.
4. Design plain-language written and visual materials.
5. Plan multimedia supports for preparation, day-of-procedure expectations, and post-op care.
6. Plan accessibility versions.
7. Seek future expert validation from healthcare professionals and community reviewers.
8. Revise and prepare future implementation guidance.

Accessibility and UDL

The framework will use simple sentence structure, large font options, high contrast versions, captions, transcripts, visual examples, step-by-step sequencing, and multiple ways to receive information.

Broader Application

Although the project begins with Khmer-speaking patients, the framework can inform patient education design for other LEP, immigrant, refugee, and minority-language communities.

Current Status

This project is currently in development and includes five active portfolio artifacts. Future phases may include a project brief, additional patient education handouts, Khmer-language draft materials, expanded video scripts, patient confidence survey prototype, expert review, and implementation guidance.

Current Outcome

This project now includes five portfolio-ready artifacts that demonstrate learner analysis, patient education flow, teach-back design, accessibility planning, visual health literacy support, and multimedia storyboard development. Future phases would require expert review, Khmer-language adaptation, and responsible clinical validation before any real-world use.

Related Project

Sokhapheap Khmer began as an early digital health-literacy app concept. As the flagship project developed, the learning-design foundation became clearer: the GI patient education toolkit now focuses on clinic-facing patient education materials, accessibility, multimedia learning, teach-back, and procedure-specific support. Sokhapheap remains a related digital health-literacy concept and is now presented as its own project.

Portfolio Artifacts

Active and Future Artifacts