Respond with one paragraph to each of the following peers post below.
For this assignment, post an initial response to all of the questions in the Discussion Area by the due date assigned. You must respond to two of your classmates’ postings for this discussion by the end of the week.
PEER 1 -AMY
What are your initial thoughts after reviewing the AHRQ website?
My initial thought after reviewing the webpage was that health literacy is something I take for granted in myself and possibly those around me. Nevertheless, health literacy is the ability of people to obtain, understand, and use basic health information and services in ways that promote good health (Crossan, 2020). What is more, health literacy empowers people to take charge of their health by facilitating informed healthcare decisions (Crossan, 2020). Meanwhile, my next thought was gratitude for resources like the AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit which potentiate health literacy by promoting the use of health literacy universal precautions in primary care practices across the country (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2020). Indeed, the toolkit provides a plethora of evidence-based resources on how to improve spoken and written communications, self-management, empowerment, and support systems; along with sample forms, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, and even a quick start guide (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2020).
What are some strategies you can incorporate in everyday practice to assist with health literacy?
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there are many strategies I can incorporate into everyday practice as a future clinician to promote health literacy. For instance, I can use open-ended questions to ensure patient understanding which negates miscommunication and improves healthcare outcomes (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2020). Likewise, I can implement the teach-back and show-back methods of instruction which ensure patient understanding as well (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2020; Crossan, 2020). Moreover, I can use simple language instead of complicated medical jargon when communicating with patients, which also minimizes the risk of misunderstandings (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2020; Crossan, 2020). While these strategies may seem simple and straight-forward, ensuring clear communication between patients and providers is an important step on their journey to health literacy.
References
PEER 2-LEE
I really like what the AHRQ is trying to accomplish with the health literacy tool. Majority of the patients that we see (inpatient or outpatient) are considered healthcare illiterate (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ], 2020). Misunderstanding, miscommunication, and the overall complexity of the healthcare system can create an environment that causes a patient to distrust a provider, cause a patient to appear non compliant, and increase the risk for medical errors. Increasing patient literacy not only improves patient’s desires to improve their own health, it makes the healthcare system easier to navigate (AHRQ, 2020).
The list of tools is extensive and includes several key areas of focus. Possibly the most important tools are those regarding communication: key communication strategies; communication self-assessment; communication observation form. How we communicate to our patients and their family members paves our pathway of success. Successful communication techniques include using plain-test, speaking slowly, taking time to listen and answer questions, and encourage patient participation (AHRQ, 2020). Another important feature that I liked was the brown bag medicine review and the medication review form. The brown bag medicine review is when the patient brings all his or her medication bottles in with this to their appointment and all medications are reviewed. In doing medication reviews, it is not uncommon to discover that patients are not taking their medication as prescribed. The medication review form allows for the clinic staff to write down each mediation name, dose, and frequency in which the medication is to be taken. All the tools mentioned above are strategies that can be easily implemented in my day-to-day practice to improve the patient experience, and improve overall healthcare outcomes.
