HealthPartners part of coalition to improve health literacy

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — HealthPartners is one of 43 health care organizations that are participating in the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership to improve health literacy. Health literacy is important because according to the U.S. Department of Education, nearly 9 out of 10 Americans have difficulty understanding everyday health information.

To address this issue, the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership and its co-sponsors have developed the Minnesota Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy. Patient Education at HealthPartners Institute is leading HealthPartners effort to implement this plan. It includes six priority areas:

1. Adopt and use health literacy best practices
2. Make information about health useful and accessible
3. Increase and improve patient-centered resource.
4. Provide opportunities for health literacy education at all levels
5. Streamline processes to make it easier for patients to navigate the health care system
6. Invest in resources to ensure that health information is culturally appropriate and in a patient’s preferred language

Each member of the coalition is committed to implementing two or three strategies within their organization. Patient Education at HealthPartners Institute will begin by increasing awareness and training resources for HealthPartners Equitable Care Champions program. A white paper, “Health Literacy Guidelines at HealthPartners: An Evidence-Based Strategy,” outlines guidelines and summarizes the research upon which the guidelines are based.

Health literacy is the degree to which people have the capacity to obtain and understand basic health information and services needed to make informed health decisions. People of all ages, races, incomes, and education levels are affected, but seniors, minority groups, and people with disabilities, low incomes, limited reading skills, or limited English proficiency are more likely to experience low health literacy.