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 UAA19205; Tue, 22 Feb 2000 20:21:01 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 20:21:01 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <38B320AF.3AE9017C@webster.edu> 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: Jeri Levesque <levesqjr@webster.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-health@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:2212] Re: It's a control issue X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; x-mac-type="54455854"; x-mac-creator="4D4F5353" X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.51 (Macintosh; I; PPC) Status: OR Penny, Deborah and others, Well control has once again made it to the Executive Office. Now the President of the United States has to initiate an effort to reduce health care errors by 50%. I've asked physicians about their take on the errors issue. They universally have dismissed the handwriting and pharmacist errors as "yellow press." Few and unrelated. As one Doc said, "That's not a literacy issue it's about stupidity." Okay, how much is about health literacy? As one of you said, health care providers have everything to gain. Do they? What about webmd, askjeeves, a-zmedicineonline, the literate cyber bugs may well by pass routine office visits in favor of online.getwellcheap. Are the web sites accessible and written at a readability level for library patrons who are without home computers but regularly access the web for free? In one family literacy program I evaluated, the parents were most excited about all of the free information and resources they could get online at the library. Is the web advice valid? Does e commerce control this new health information network? Will it correlated with any increases or decreases in the error rate? What is the impact of health literacy online on this discussion? Jeri Levesque, Ed.D. Associate Professor, Webster University Programs Evaluator, LIFT-Missouri PS My physician's office (been going to the same one for 20 years and he's my neighbor) called to report some findings on recent blood work. The office clerk couldn't explain the lab tests or CT scan (she has a high school diploma not a medical degree). I took the bare information she gave me and asked Jeeves (ask.com) - with minimal effort I learned about my current health state and now better understand my new prescriptions, need for additional tests, change of diet etc. - the internet communicated far better that the physician's office who said, "Just pick up the medicine, go back to the lab in a week and call us in 10 days or so." Perhaps the web is the bridge Penny speaks of. penny nolan wrote: > Deborah, > On 2/22/00 you wrote:> > > >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? > > As a healthcare provider for the past 25 years and chair of my hospital's > patient education committee, I can tell you we have everything to gain by > educating our patients! Informed patients make better decisions, comply > better with prescribed treatment, and especially in today's managed care > marketplace, make better utilization choices (e.g.; not using the ER as > their primary care physician). Informed, educated patients have less anxiety > and are less adversarial with their care providers. So, it behooves ALL of > us to do everything we can to help our patients understand what is up with > their health. > > ______________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 16 2001 - 14:42:57 EST