90 million is the number of Americans estimated to have "low health literacy". Health Literacy comprises the reading, writing, calculation, technology, and communications skills that are critical to participating in and making healthcare decisions. We cannot fully advocate for ourselves or our loved ones if we are not involved in our own care.
If you're anything like me, then you may process your doctor appointment for days, weeks, or months after your appointment concludes (and sometimes longer). After I leave a clinic or doctor office, my internal dialog sounds something like this: "Wait, was I supposed to schedule a follow-up at this office or another office? Or will that follow-up appointment be scheduled for me? Why should I be taking this new medication? Does this medication have any contraindications? When should I start taking it?" Even for a routine appointment, the experience is a whirlwind. Imagine how much more stressful this experience becomes if you're a patient with more complex needs who is managing more than one condition, medication, or procedure/surgery.
However, there is a really important caveat to consider here: healthcare organizations and individuals have a shared responsibility for improving health literacy rates and improving care.
To learn more about the tools available for improving health literacy rates, please visit the Banner Connect page on Health Literacy. There is a wealth of information, including factsheets and toolkits, to help you become more knowledgeable and experienced.
Are you interested in deepening your knowledge about health literacy topics such as "Motivational Interviewing" or the "Teach Back Method"? This method is a best practice for placing patients at the center of their own care. As a patient, I have never actually experienced this method in real life. Have you? Not once has a clinician ask me to please "teach back" or repeat the information they shared with me so that I may demonstrate my comprehension. I know about this powerful patient education method in theory; but I want to support health care staff in making this method a natural part of how they do patient education. This method is powerful and simple to implement, so why wouldn't we?
Although October is coming to a close, taking the time to educate ourselves and our patients about health literacy is always a timely topic for discussion. In serving Sophia, how can we cultivate a culture that advances and promotes health literacy? Please contact library staff for assistance in searching across a multitude of information platforms and resources available to Banner staff. We look forward to supporting you!
