October is Health Literacy Month and offers healthcare organizations an opportunity to simplify basic health information for patients and their families, so they can make informed decisions and be effective healthcare team members. Increased transparency, a focal area of the Military Health System commitment to Ready Reliable Care, is helping to improve health literacy across the MHS.
Message for Communicators
- Becoming an engaged and knowledgeable patient improves the chances of a good outcome and minimizes the chances of preventable harm.
- Take command of your health information to be a partner with your health provider in your care.
- Informed patients and families make better health decision.
Health Literacy Tips:
- Write down a list of questions and concerns before your appointment.
- Be open and honest with your health provider, even if it might feel embarrassing.
- If you don't understand something a health provider tells you, ask questions until you do.
- Take notes during your appointment, or ask a trusted person to come with you and take notes.
- Seek out other members of the health care team, like a nurse, pharmacist or specialist.
Graphics
Suggested social media message: Health literacy is the ability to understand and process basic health information to make informed health decisions for you and your family. Becoming an engaged and knowledgeable patient improves the chance of a good outcome and minimizes the chances of preventable harm. Scroll through these images for tips on how to get the most out of visits to the doctor, and check out this article on health literacy for military patients: https://health.mil/News/Articles/2020/12/30/Health-literacy-focuses-on-empowering-patients-to-engage-in-their-care #HealthLiteracy [Please use the graphics below in a slideshow format on your social media pages]
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Going to the doctor and getting information can be hard to understand. We're here with five tips that will help you understand the information your doctor gives you and how to seek out other resources to better understand your treatment and medications.
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