Addressing low patient health literacy is crucial for healthcare providers. With only 12% of the US population having proficient health literacy and 36% having low health literacy, providers face the challenge of meeting patients where they are. Initiatives like the Health Literacy Council of Delaware are working to improve personal health literacy, emphasizing the use of plain language, patient teach-back, and open-ended questions. Such efforts, supported by organizations like ChristianaCare, aim to empower patients, enhance care, and improve overall health literacy to promote better healthcare experiences.
Addressing Varying Levels of Patient Health Literacy: Strategies for Healthcare Providers
In the realm of healthcare, it has become increasingly evident that low patient health literacy is a prevalent issue. Consequently, it is considered best practice for healthcare providers to employ plain language, steering clear of medical jargon, as a baseline communication approach. Undoubtedly, the significance of patient health literacy cannot be overstated when it comes to patient engagement, activation, and overall healthcare experiences.
Patient health literacy, specifically personal health literacy, refers to an individual’s capacity to comprehend and apply health-related information. High personal health literacy is paramount in ensuring that patients can grasp a diagnosis or treatment plan and possess the self-efficacy and skills required to adhere to such a plan.
However, healthcare providers face a formidable challenge in that high personal health literacy is not the norm, making it difficult to gauge where each patient stands in terms of their health literacy.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, as few as 12 percent of people in the United States possess proficient health literacy levels. Astonishingly, a staggering 36 percent of individuals have low health literacy, which some economists estimate costs the nation a substantial $236 billion annually in medical errors, increased illness or disability, lost wages, and compromised public health.
These obstacles, coupled with the limited time available for each clinical encounter, often hinder providers from effectively catering to the diverse health literacy levels of their patients, despite their best intentions. The fact remains that not all providers possess the necessary health literacy screening tools, nor do they always have the time to conduct such assessments.
Greg O’Neill, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, director of Patient & Family Health Education at ChristianaCare in Delaware, is at the forefront of efforts to rectify this situation. Through his leadership in the Health Literacy Council of Delaware, O’Neill and his colleagues are striving to develop a cohesive statewide plan to enhance personal health literacy.
O’Neill enthusiastically stated, “We are really excited about the Health Literacy Council of Delaware. This is an opportunity to bring our entire state together under a unified plan. We started out with a statewide strategic plan. We brought about 100 different stakeholders together to really identify those initiatives that we thought everyone could get behind to improve the health literacy strategy in our state.”
The Health Literacy Council of Delaware has also established subcommittees to address policy and advocacy issues, provider education and training, as well as community engagement and outreach.
Supported by ChristianaCare, the Delaware Division of Public Health, and the University of Delaware’s Partnership for Healthy Communities, the Council recently secured $80,000 in funding from Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware. This funding is part of Highmark’s BluePrints for the Community program, with a specific focus on raising provider awareness and enhancing education. The aim is to assist healthcare organizations in delivering health information that supports varying levels of patient health literacy.
O’Neill’s approach emphasizes starting with the assumption that most patients have low health literacy. Given the widespread nature of this issue, healthcare providers should initiate their communications at a basic, easily understandable level. He recommends employing strategies such as patient teach-back to assess patient understanding and health literacy in real-time, allowing providers to adapt their approach as needed.
Conversely, healthcare providers should avoid language or communication practices that might allow patients to conceal their lack of understanding. Open-ended questions are encouraged to encourage patients to share more about their comprehension and concerns.
Additionally, O’Neill suggests paying attention to non-verbal cues during conversations, as these can indicate a patient’s confusion or discomfort with the provided information.
Above all, O’Neill underscores the importance of integrating teach-back, which involves asking patients to restate medical information in their own words, to ensure comprehension.
Fundamentally, the responsibility for addressing patient health literacy rests with the provider, a concept referred to as organizational health literacy. This encompasses the ways in which healthcare organizations facilitate information access for all patients, extending beyond individual encounters.
O’Neill stressed, “We do not want to be making it a heavy lift for the patients and families when they come in to see us. That said, there may be some things that we can do to help them feel empowered and build their confidence.”
At ChristianaCare, initiatives like posting signs in clinical spaces encouraging questions and setting expectations regarding the use of teach-back during clinical encounters have proven effective in motivating patients to seek clarity throughout their care journey.
In conclusion, this comprehensive health literacy strategy is paramount in achieving patient care goals, promoting health equity, and enhancing the overall patient experience.
O’Neill concluded, “It’s really important to recognize that if someone feels heard and seen in their healthcare encounter, and if they leave that encounter with a better understanding of their health, it’s going to improve their experience.”
