Health Literacy: Bridging the Gap in Patient Understanding

Course overview: Health literacy is a very important part of healthcare, although it isn’t spoken about often. Health literacy is what shapes how patients understand instructions, make informed decisions, and take an active role in their healthcare. As a Medical Assistant, health literacy directly impacts a patient's comfort, informed consent, and specimen and result accuracy. Medical assistants and other healthcare professionals need to be able to recognize different health literacy barriers, provide clear communication, and utilize key practices, including the use of plain language, the teach-back method, and cultural sensitivity. This article will discuss those key practices and the important role that health literacy plays in healthcare settings.