Return-Path: <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id MAA09822; Tue, 22 Feb 2000 12:36:08 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 12:36:08 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <4f.12b3c96.25e4225b@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Dwyoho@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:2206] Re: It's a control issue X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 5.0 for Windows sub 45 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Status: OR In a message dated 02/21/2000 8:08:46 PM Eastern Standard Time, CPGarzona@aol.com writes: << You're still under the notion that health-care professionals want to empower their patients, want them to understand, and want them to participate in decision making? >> The cynicism behind this statement, plus the assertion or implication that health professionals deliberately obfuscate patient information for "control", bothers me, and I am not even a health professional. Yet, I suppose there could be a grain of truth here. I just want to say the essence of health literacy involves building bridges. If we assume that health professionals don't want anything to do with this idea, we are defeated before we ever begin. On the other hand, I think a fair question to pose as efforts in this field grow is "What's in it for the health professional?" So far, my experience answers: At the very least, health literacy efforts are essential to lower the risk of lawsuits and ugly publicity for the health community--and insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, etc. Comments, anyone? Deborah W. Yoho Chief Executive Officer Greater Columbia Literacy Council 921 Woodrow Street Columbia, SC 29205 803/765-2555 dwyoho@aol.com
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