As providers, you have information that will help your patients be healthier. You hope to communicate it in a convincing way, so it will enter into patients’ thoughts and actions long after the patient encounter. But what about when you have differences of opinion on what healthy means? When it becomes clear you don’t share the same understanding of living a healthy life, or … [Read more...]
“Are we using technical terms that are not appropriate for any patient?”
“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 this question from many providers. You know by now that high … [Read more...]
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. A few weeks back, I wrote a short article on this. Here's an infographic that's even speedier. Here, I’m offering some loose groupings or distinctions in health literacy--both … [Read more...]
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] the word gap of 30 million...” I recalled the study she referenced and I … [Read more...]
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 in chairs than when I’m talking about health … [Read more...]
