Agency For Healthcare and Research Quality Essay
Agency for healthcare and research quality
What are your initial thoughts after reviewing the AHRQ website?
The Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (AHRQ) website is a toolkit that offers information and tools for designing, planning and implementing a comprehensive and success health literacy program. It is targeted at medical facilities and personnel with the intention of simplifying patient literacy efforts with a focus on reducing health care complexity, increasing comprehension of health information, and enhancing support for all patients irrespective of their literacy levels (Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality, 2019). Agency For Healthcare and Research Quality Essay The information presented in the website is informative and well organized. It is informative since it addresses the main issues in health literacy, identifying the need for health literacy programs, key features that must be noted, communication strategies that can be applied, access to additional resources, and examples of health literacy programs in use. I am particularly appreciative of the applications since they are of different scenarios, showing that the tools are not rigid and can be modified as the situation demands. The information on the precautions to be noted is particularly informative since it notes that issues that are often overlooked and yet are of importance. The information has been well organized since it makes use of topics and bullets in its formatting, as well as hyperlinks that allows the website users to access additional information clarifying the points made. Although the website is informative and well organized, the absence of quantitative information and infographics reduce its value. The presence of quantitative information would have placed the information into perspective especially with regards to population effects so that users are motivated to invest and apply the information with anticipated gains. Also, infographics should have been included to make the website visually appealing. Agency For Healthcare and Research Quality Essay
What are some strategies you can incorporate in everyday practice to assist with health literacy?
There are strategies that can be incorporated in everyday practices to assist in health literacy. The first strategy is to use plain and jargon free language so that audiences with low literacy levels are able to understand the information being communicated. It assumes that since persons with low literacy levels can understand the information, those with middle and high literacy levels would also be able to understand the same information. The second strategy is to use pictographs to clarify the main concepts being communicated. Images are more effective in communicating concepts when compared to texts. The third strategy is to confirm that the audience understands what is being conveyed through learner assessments using ?teach-back? and ?show-me? approaches. The fourth strategy is to use cost effective mobile applications with reminders since smartphones have become more common and reminder applications since there are many of them that deal with a whole array of health related issues. The mobile applications would also act as a good source of general information, such as nutritional information on the seasonal foods and symptoms of common ailments. The fifth strategy is to make use of technology, such as telehealth and electronic health records as platforms that help patients to enjoy higher communication levels with medical personnel. The final strategy is to build community connections through partnerships that link medical personnel with local community organizations to help in disseminating information, setting reminders, setting directives, and campaigns. Some of the targeted community organizations would include religious organizations, community colleges, local libraries, and social facilities (McCarthy, 2017). Agency For Healthcare and Research Quality Essay
References
Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality (2019). AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit. Retrieved from https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html
McCarthy, K. (2017). Improving patient health literacy: strategies for healthcare providers. Retrieved from https://www.nuemd.com/news/2017/05/29/improving-patient-health-literacy-strategies-healthcare-providers Agency For Healthcare and Research Quality Essay
Please review the following information from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality website https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/quality-resources/tools/literacy-toolkit/index.html
Evaluate these tools to discover ways that will help reduce the barriers that hinder healthcare literacy.
1. What are your initial thoughts after reviewing the AHRQ website?
2. What are some strategies you can incorporate in everyday practice to assist with health literacy? Agency For Healthcare and Research Quality Essay
