CLEVELAND, Ohio – August 1, 2011 – It is estimated that nearly half of American adults—90 million people— have only basic or below-basic health literacy skills, leading to difficulty understanding and acting on health information.
Persons with limited health literacy skills use more services, including hospitalization and emergency services and fewer preventive services. As a result, the cost of low health literacy to the United States economy is in the range of $106 billion to $236 billion annually (Vernon, et al., 2007).
St. Vincent Charity Medical Center and Project: LEARN, in partnership with presenting sponsors Regency Construction and The Center for Health Affairs and its business affiliate CHAMPS Healthcare, are bringing together leaders in the field of health literacy to increase awareness; share resources; and build capacity for a statewide collaboration among healthcare providers for the inaugural Ohio Health Literacy Conference October 12-13, 2011, at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel. Registration is $199 per person.
In partnership with the City of Cleveland Department of Public Health, Cuyahoga County Board of Health, The MetroHealth Foundation, Visiting Nurse Association of Ohio, AIDS Taskforce and Case Western Reserve University, OHLC will serve as a forum for best practices, tools, tips and rationale for health literacy.
Health literacy is a patient’s ability to understand and act on health information. It is also a provider’s ability to ommunicate so patient’s can act on health information. It isn’t about person’s ability to read or write; it’s about understanding and the action that results from that understanding.
“The Ohio Health Literacy Conference will give us the opportunity to take the next step in increasing health literacy awareness and to begin collaborations with local, state and national experts,” said Karen Komondor, co-chair of the St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Health Literacy Institute and the Ohio Health Literacy Conference Committee, and Director of Education at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.
Dr. Richard Carmona, 17th Surgeon General of the United States and Vice Chairman of Canyon Ranch Institute, will present as keynote speaker. As Surgeon General, Dr. Carmona focused on prevention, preparedness, health disparities, health literacy, and global health to include health diplomacy.
Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has also been invited to address the conference.
We are hoping the Conference will appeal to a diverse audience,” said Patricia Terstenyak, Community Outreach Project Coordinator and co-chair of the St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Health Literacy Institute and Ohio Health Literacy Conference Committee. “The health literacy field cuts across many lines of work, such as public health, clinical care and education. This is a great opportunity for participants to hear national experts and learn best practices.”
All healthcare providers, physicians, nurses, administrative staff, social workers, dietitians, health plan administrators, adult literacy professionals, public health professionals and health literacy professionals from hospitals, universities and other organizations throughout Ohio and surrounding states are encouraged to attend this important conference.
Complete conference and registration information is online at www.stvincentcharity.com/OHLC.