Health Literacy and Patient Success

Hi there,

In this installment of The Experience we are focusing on the critical role of health literacy in patient care and highlighting how ShadowNurse can uniquely improve patient journeys and outcomes through targeted interventions.

Introduction

Health literacy is the cornerstone of effective patient care. As nurses, we understand that patients' ability to comprehend and act upon health information directly impacts their outcomes. However, health literacy is often overlooked in the clinical setting, leading to suboptimal care and patient frustration. This newsletter delves into how enhancing health literacy can transform patient care and how ShadowNurse can leverage its unique approach to improve health outcomes.

Components of Health Literacy

Health literacy encompasses several key components that contribute to an individual's ability to understand and manage their health effectively:

1. Reading and Comprehension Skills:

   • Ability to read and understand health information, including medication labels, appointment slips, medical bills, and health education materials.

2. Numeracy Skills:

   • Proficiency in interpreting numerical data, such as blood pressure readings, cholesterol levels, and medication dosages.

3. Communication Skills:

   • Ability to effectively communicate symptoms, questions, and concerns to healthcare providers, as well as understand and follow verbal instructions.

4. Decision-Making Skills:

   • Capacity to evaluate treatment options, weigh risks and benefits, and make informed health decisions.

5. Knowledge of Health Concepts:

   • Understanding of basic health concepts and terms, such as preventive care, chronic disease management, and the importance of lifestyle choices.

6. Cultural and Linguistic Competence:

   • Ability to navigate the healthcare system, including understanding insurance forms, accessing services, and recognizing cultural and linguistic nuances that affect health behaviors.

Health Literacy Facts and Figures

Health literacy involves the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information to make informed health decisions. Citing a now somewhat dated, but still highly relevant article in the American Nurses Association’s Online Journal of Issues in Nursing*, the following is known:

1. Only 12 percent of Americans have an adequate level of health literacy.

2. This lack of health literacy taxes the system an additional $73 billion annually in healthcare expenditures.

3. Those who struggle with health literacy have poorer health independent of the type of illness.

4. Health literacy is a 2-way process—meaning both the patient and the provider are implicated.

5. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, minorities, persons with lower education, and persons with chronic disease have a higher prevalence of inadequate health literacy.

6. Those with low to moderate healthcare literacy skills…

   • are unable to assume positive self management

   • rack up more medical costs as a result of more medication and treatment errors

   • get admitted more frequently to the hospital

   • stay longer in the hospital

   • visit their healthcare provider more, and

   • lack skills needed to obtain valuable services

*Egbert, N., Nanna, K., (Sept. 30, 2009) "Health Literacy: Challenges and Strategies" OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in NursingVol. 14, No. 3, Manuscript 1

Factors Contributing to Low Health Literacy in America

Several factors contribute to the prevalence of low health literacy in the United States:

1. Educational Disparities:

   • Many individuals lack the educational background needed to develop strong reading, writing, and numeracy skills. Limited education is a strong predictor of low health literacy.

2. Socioeconomic Barriers:

   • Low-income individuals often have less access to educational resources and healthcare services, contributing to lower health literacy levels.

3. Complexity of Health Information:

   • Health information is often presented in complex, technical language that can be difficult for individuals with limited literacy skills to understand.

4. Cultural and Language Barriers:

   • Non-native English speakers and individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds may face additional challenges in understanding health information and navigating the healthcare system.

5. Rapid Changes in Healthcare:

   • The constantly evolving nature of healthcare, including new treatments, technologies, and insurance policies, can be overwhelming for patients to keep up with.

National Efforts Yield Subpar Improvements

Over the past 25 to 30 years, there have been concerted efforts to improve health literacy on a population level, although substantial improvements have been challenging to achieve. Some notable trends and initiatives include:

1. National Action Plans and Policies:

   • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy in 2010, which outlines strategies to enhance health communication and education across the country.

2. Health Literacy Research:

   • Increased funding and focus on health literacy research have led to a better understanding of the factors influencing health literacy.

3. Educational Campaigns:

   • Public health campaigns aimed at simplifying health information and promoting clear communication have been implemented to improve health literacy.

4. Integration of Health Literacy in Healthcare Settings:

   • Many healthcare providers and organizations are incorporating health literacy assessments and interventions into routine care to better support patients with low health literacy.

5. Technological Advances:

   • The use of digital health tools, such as patient portals, mobile apps, and telehealth services, has the potential to improve access to health information and support patient education.

Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain in improving health literacy across the U.S. population. Persistent educational and socioeconomic disparities, along with the inherent complexity of health information, continue to hinder progress. However, ongoing initiatives and a growing recognition of the importance of health literacy offer hope for gradual improvement over time. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach that includes policy changes, educational reforms, and innovative health communication strategies… or does it??? Read on.

The ShadowNurse Advantage

ShadowNurse has a unique opportunity to bridge the Health Literacy Gap. How? For starters, I can assure you that our approach does not involve a multifaceted approach that includes all the ‘policy changes’, the ‘educational reforms’, and the same-old classic ‘healthcare solutions’ that haven’t solved the health literacy problem (or any number of other problems) yet! Sound intriguing? Read on.

Let’s break it down a bit. ShadowNurse literally embeds a technology-enabled remote RN in every patient journey—for life. This provides for the following to take place:

1. Matching through sophisticated algorithms to pair each patient with a ShadowNurse best suited for their health scenario as well as their language, cultural, advocacy and education needs.

2. An upfront and thorough health literacy assessment administered on each patient, yielding a standardized ShadowNurse Health Literacy Profile/Score that can easily be communicated to caregivers and treating providers.

3. Ongoing, updated assessments that track trends in health literacy over time.

4. Development of a long-term ShadowNurse-Patient relationship that creates the opportunity for micro-assessents, resource sharing, educational interventions, information distribution, and stakeholder alignment/level-setting

5. Live (remote) in-medical-visit realtime interventions, support, and advocacy that minimizes errors, optimizes resource utilization, and maximizes clinic efficiency

6. Integrated long-term family and caregiver engagement allowing for additional support unit development and oversight

And these are just some of the ways that ShadowNurse provides an actual solution to the as-of-yet un-resolved health literacy issue in America.

Premium Experience Content:

1. Pearls of Wisdom: Health Literacy

2. Review of a realistic patient/provider vignette highlighting ShadowNurse health literacy and patient success efforts

3. Deep dive into 5 health literacy assessment tools

4. Topic revealed to the upcoming Fireside Chat with Olivia & Jeff… hint: it has to do with startups and equity 😉 

(details below)

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