Clear as mud: Improving communication at the bedside by Regina Hoffman (25 March 2021)

Summary

Health literacy is a person’s ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions. Not surprisingly, many Americans do not have levels of health literacy that allow them to truly understand their care or take appropriate actions to improve their health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 9 out of 10 adults have difficulty understanding health information when it is complex or unfamiliar.

In this blog, Regina Hoffman, Executive Director of Pennsylvania’s Patient Safety Authority, outlines the steps your organisation can take to fulfill its role in closing the gap on health literacy.