ATD Blog
Effect of Shifting Forces in Healthcare on Patient Literacy
Fri Jun 19 2015
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A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune to attend an event where the CIO of Jefferson Medical System, Praveen Chopra, was talking about the three forces that are shaking up the health care industry. Allow me to quickly paraphrase and summarize:
A few weeks ago, I had the good fortune to attend an event where the CIO of Jefferson Medical System, Praveen Chopra, was talking about the three forces that are shaking up the health care industry. Allow me to quickly paraphrase and summarize:
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consumerism—patients have choices
consumerism—patients have choices
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technology—apps and devices and equipment, oh my
technology—apps and devices and equipment, oh my
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willingness to take ownership of health—the web has instigated a revolution.
willingness to take ownership of health—the web has instigated a revolution.
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In response to these trends, Jefferson Medical System is trying to create a “consumer-centric digital enterprise.” By that, they mean:
In response to these trends, Jefferson Medical System is trying to create a “consumer-centric digital enterprise.” By that, they mean:
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“healthcare” is becoming “health and well being”
“healthcare” is becoming “health and well being”
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provider-centric is shifting to patient-centric
provider-centric is shifting to patient-centric
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faculty-centric is shifting to student-centric
faculty-centric is shifting to student-centric
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facility-centric is shifting to facility-agnostic
facility-centric is shifting to facility-agnostic
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event-centric is shifting to process and information-centric
event-centric is shifting to process and information-centric
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volume is shifting to value.
volume is shifting to value.
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Yet, the prevailing means for communicating with patients is plain English initiatives and writing everything at the 6th grade level. Given my point of view—that healthcare is its own language—and the fact that the healthcare industry is painfully aware that the American public is healthcare “illiterate,” the question that comes to mind is this: How does an industry become process and information-centric without sharing the vocabulary of those very processes with its patients?
Yet, the prevailing means for communicating with patients is plain English initiatives and writing everything at the 6th grade level. Given my point of view—that healthcare is its own language—and the fact that the healthcare industry is painfully aware that the American public is healthcare “illiterate,” the question that comes to mind is this: How does an industry become process and information-centric without sharing the vocabulary of those very processes with its patients?
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Isn’t it time to consider teaching that very specific vocabulary to the very people that are at the center of the consumer-centric enterprise?
Isn’t it time to consider teaching that very specific vocabulary to the very people that are at the center of the consumer-centric enterprise?
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NIH and Pew Research
NIH and Pew Research
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According to the MedlinePlus at the National Institute of Health, 90 percent of American adults have some problems with health literacy. The Pew Research Center has been measuring the number of people using online resources since 2000. In the most current national survey (data collected in late 2013) they have found that seven-in-10 (72 percent) adult Internet users say they have searched online for information concerning health issues, diseases, and treatments. Is there some way to rationalize these disparate nuggets of information?
According to the MedlinePlus at the National Institute of Health, 90 percent of American adults have some problems with health literacy. The Pew Research Center has been measuring the number of people using online resources since 2000. In the most current national survey (data collected in late 2013) they have found that seven-in-10 (72 percent) adult Internet users say they have searched online for information concerning health issues, diseases, and treatments. Is there some way to rationalize these disparate nuggets of information?
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The American population wants to learn. Healthcare providers can help in ways that the general Internet cannot. By treating the language of healthcare as though it were another language, we can glean some valuable insights that lead to useful action.
The American population wants to learn. Healthcare providers can help in ways that the general Internet cannot. By treating the language of healthcare as though it were another language, we can glean some valuable insights that lead to useful action.
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Information-Centric Without Information
Information-Centric Without Information
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The language of healthcare is, in its way, akin to the language of any industry or company or project; the language has meaning to those who are working together to get something done. The professionals who study how people acquire and use language have a formal name for groups of people who share a common language so they may communicate with one another to get something done. They have a two-page definition and refer to this as a “discourse community.” It’s common and pervasive; so many in the healthcare community believe that the challenge of language is unique to their industry.
The language of healthcare is, in its way, akin to the language of any industry or company or project; the language has meaning to those who are working together to get something done. The professionals who study how people acquire and use language have a formal name for groups of people who share a common language so they may communicate with one another to get something done. They have a two-page definition and refer to this as a “discourse community.” It’s common and pervasive; so many in the healthcare community believe that the challenge of language is unique to their industry.
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Pharma professionals think it’s unique to them. Telecom industry professionals think it’s unique to them. Everyone complains about the IT department. The language of a work group, be it an industry or team, is akin to a form of verbal and written shorthand. And, yes, sometimes its technical terminology that’s essential to the specialty or task at hand.
Pharma professionals think it’s unique to them. Telecom industry professionals think it’s unique to them. Everyone complains about the IT department. The language of a work group, be it an industry or team, is akin to a form of verbal and written shorthand. And, yes, sometimes its technical terminology that’s essential to the specialty or task at hand.
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Health is so vital and so variable and so personal, that it’s difficult to identify a specific set of words or terms that apply to everyone. Stripping the language of its complexity and nuance via plain English initiatives is not a sustainable solution.
Health is so vital and so variable and so personal, that it’s difficult to identify a specific set of words or terms that apply to everyone. Stripping the language of its complexity and nuance via plain English initiatives is not a sustainable solution.
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Another Alternative
Another Alternative
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Given that the people are curious and want to learn, 21st century technology has made it possible to provide tailored tools that can support learning and understanding. Adults learn best when under relaxed circumstances. Educators refer to this as casual or incidental learning. By providing patients and caregivers with easy-to-use, easy-to-search, and easy-to-understand glossaries, tailored to the language of their healthcare provider and their healthcare issues, it is possible to support patients’ interest in learning.
Given that the people are curious and want to learn, 21st century technology has made it possible to provide tailored tools that can support learning and understanding. Adults learn best when under relaxed circumstances. Educators refer to this as casual or incidental learning. By providing patients and caregivers with easy-to-use, easy-to-search, and easy-to-understand glossaries, tailored to the language of their healthcare provider and their healthcare issues, it is possible to support patients’ interest in learning.