Atlanta Medical Center Emergency Room Discharge According

Atlanta Medical Center Emergency Room Discharge

According to reports approximately 9 out of 10 adults experience "difficulty using the everyday health information that is routinely available in health care facilities, retail outlets, media, and communities." (Health.Gov, 2011) Limited health literacy is linked to: (1) poorer health outcomes; and (2) higher health care costs. (Health.Gov, 2011) In addition, limited health literacy affects the ability of the individual in: (1) searching for and using health information; (2) adopting healthy behaviors; and (3) acting on important public health alerts. (Health.Gov, 2011) Health literacy is reported to be dependent on both individual and systemic factors including those as follows: (1) communication skills of professionals and laypersons; (2) professional and lay knowledge of health topics; (3) culture; (4) demands placed on public health and healthcare systems; (5) Demands arising from the situation or context. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) Cultural and linguistic competency is an important aspect to this issue as culture is stated to affect how "people communicate, understand, and respond to health information." (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) Cultural competence is reported as the "ability of health organizations and practitioners to recognize that the cultural beliefs, values, attitudes, traditions, language preferences, and health practices of diverse populations, and to apply that knowledge to a positive health outcome." (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) It is reported that populations most likely to experience low health literacy are: (1) older adults; (2) racial and ethnic minorities; and (3) people with less than a high school degree or GED certification; (4) people with low income levels; (5) non-native speakers of English; and (6) people with compromised health status. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011)

II. Proposed Solution

The key element in the solution proposed in this work is that of 'Health Literacy'. Health Literacy is defined as the "capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions." (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) This can be best accomplished through ongoing education, which provides information that assist patients in processing information on health care provided specifically in plain language. Plain language is stated to be a strategy used in "making oral and written information easier to understand." (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) Key elements of plain language are reported to include the following elements: (1) organization of information highlighting the most important facts first; (2) breaking down information that is complex into portions that are understandable; (3) use of simple language and definition of technical terms; and (4) use of the active voice. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011) The proposed solution is one that involves the use of plain language in communicating health information to patients in a face-to-face educational interaction. This educational endeavor should be an ongoing process for educating patients about health care, the health care system, and their own health care issues.