Implementing routine health literacy assessment in hospital and primary care patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients with inadequate health literacy often have poorer health outcomes and increased utilization and costs. The Institute of Medicine has recommended that health literacy assessment be incorporated into health care information systems, which would facilitate large-scale studies of the effects of health literacy, as well as evaluation of system interventions to improve care by addressing health literacy. As part of the Health Literacy Screening (HEALS) study, a Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS) was incorporated into the electronic health record (EHR) at a large academic medical center.

Methods

Changes were implemented to the nursing intake documentation across all adult hospital units, the emergency department, and three primary care practices. The change inv

SUBMITTER: Cawthon C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4072202 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature