90 million Americans have low health literacy
Case Management Weekly, April 21, 2004
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Case Management Weekly!
Almost half of all American adults have difficulty understanding and
using health information, which can lead to a higher rate of
hospitalization and emergency room visits, according to a recent report
from the Institutes of Medicine. The report defines health literacy as the
ability to obtain, process, and understand basic information needed to
make appropriate decisions regarding one's health. Patients routinely
encounter complex health information, such as consent forms, patient
information sheets, or doctor's orders concerning a prescription. If they
can't understand the information, they simply will not manage their own
health care and are less likely to practice preventative measures.
"Limited health literacy may lead to billions of dollars in avoidable
heath care costs," the report concludes.
Want to receive articles like this one in your inbox? Subscribe to Case Management Weekly!
Related Products
-
Case Management Weekly
Case Management Weekly is a free e-mail newsletter that offers news, resources, and Q&As to help case managers from all...
-
Case Management Monthly
This newsletter offers case studies, best practices, and how-to analysis to help case managers move patients through the...
Most Popular
- Articles
-
- HIPAA Q&A: Level of encryption needed for email
- Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- Q&A: Acute respiratory failure diagnosis does not require intubation
- Topic: CMS, OESS post new security compliance review information, checklist
- What does case-mix index mean to you?
- Capturing all necessary codes for IUD insertion and removal can be challenging
- Identify potential Medicaid RAC target areas
- HIPAA Q&A: TPO disclosures to a business associate
- Q/A: Coding infusions to correct low potassium levels
- E-mailed
-
- HIPAA Q&A: Level of encryption needed for email
- Q/A: Volume requirement for reporting hydration services
- Featured blog post: Nurses face felony charges after reporting physician to the Texas Medical Board
- Q&A: Acute respiratory failure diagnosis does not require intubation
- CMS has reformulated payments for some bilateral procedures
- Q/A: Coding infusions to correct low potassium levels
- Oxygen Cylinder Storage Requirements
- Q&A: Follow CMS' coding guidelines when using modifier -25
- Understand the spine to code back procedures correctly
- Catch up on what's new with injections and infusions
- Searched