What is Health Literacy?

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) health literacy is defined as “the degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand the basic health information and services they need to make appropriate health decisions.” Health literacy is different from literacy itself. Health literacy requires basic reading skills, but also the ability to understand oral communication, use numbers and math skills, understand how to navigate the health system on a basic level, as well as the ability to communicate with health care providers and their staff. In other words, Health Literacy is the:

  • Patient’s ability to understand and act on health information
  • Health care provider’s ability to communicate so patients can act on the information to take better care of their health.

What is the Scope of the Problem?

It is estimated that nearly half of American adults-90 million people-have only basic or below-basic health literacy skills and have difficulty understanding and acting on health information (Institute of Medicine Report “Health Literacy: a Prescription to End Confusion).

As a result, persons with limited health literacy skills have higher utilization of treatment services including hospitalization and emergency services and lower utilization of preventive services. Individuals with limited health literacy incur medical expenses that are up to four times greater than patients with adequate health literacy skills. In fact, the estimated added annual cost to the health care system due to low health literacy is $106-$238 billion (Low Health Literacy: Implications for National Health Policy, Vernon, J. Trujillo, A. Rosenbaum, S. Debuono, B. October 2007)

It is very difficult to identify those with low health literacy skills because people from all ages, races, income and education levels are challenged by this problem. In addition, many patients hide their confusion from their provider because they are too ashamed and intimidated to ask for help.

Therefore, SVCMC has adopted the “Universal Precautions” approach recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Our Mission is to provide easy to understand information for ALL patients and to utilize the five steps for improving health literacy with ALL patients.


What are We Doing?

Grants have been received from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland since 2007 in partnership with Project: Learn to address Low Health Literacy at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.

  • Primary Goal is to develop a program model which will institutionalize health literacy across the continuum of patient care

St. Vincent Charity Medical Center has incorporated in its policies and trainings the following 5 Steps to improve Health Literacy:

5 Steps to better health literacy

Speak slowly- Take time to understand the patient’s concerns. Limit the amount of information provided at each encounter.

Teach back- Use this method to make sure patients truly understand what you are teaching them. Ask, “How will you describe this to your family? ” Do not ask, “Do you  understand?”

Encourage questions- Empower patients to ask questions about their health care.

Plain language- Use language that is easy to understand.  All patients appreciate information that is clear and concise.

Show examples- Draw or show a picture to patients to help convey a complex concept or a body part.