“Are we using technical terms? That are not appropriate for any patient?” This was a physician group administrator talking with me on the phone. This group had reached out to me, and I was asking about the problems they were facing. This was one of the first things the administrator said. I hear versions of […]
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Infographic: Some health literacy basics
As health professionals, you care about health literacy. Health literacy is a large field. The research on health literacy covers a massive territory. So it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. We did a podcast on this. Here’s an infographic that’s even speedier. Here, I’m offering some loose groupings or distinctions in health literacy–both research […]
Communication and the death of a pet
“If you’re not an animal person,” the nurse educator told me, “it can be hard to understand how much pets mean to your patients with pets. What you’ve written will help providers understand that.” So if you’re not particularly an animal person, this episode is for you. If, on the other hand, you ARE an […]
Connect with patients who don’t talk like you do
“I want to help these moms talk to their babies,” the physician told me. “Who? What do you mean?” I asked. She gave me a quick overview of a study she’d learned about: “There was a recorder that transcribed the number of words and type of words that they used – more educated people—[there was] […]
A quick breakdown of some health literacy basics
“When I say ‘health literacy,’ what does that mean to you?” I asked 4 physicians this question. I got 4 very different answers. And all of them were ‘right.’ As health professionals, you care about health literacy. I know this because when I’ve done in-person talks, nothing has drawn more attention and put more butts […]
What to do when you feel a cultural gap between you and your patient
One of the most common sentiments I have heard from providers is their concern that they are not connecting with patients when they seem to have little in common. This makes sense; in general, it’s easier for us to communicate with people when we feel we have plenty in common. But since you interact with people […]