At the intersection of health care delivery and practice there lies a large area of patient care with no manual: how to provide the best care to patients who have a critically low level of comprehension and literacy. Because all patients play a central role in the outcome of their own health care, competent health care becomes almost impossible for caregivers when the boundary of low literary skills is present.

In a concise and well-written format you will learn:
• Common myths about low literacy
• Examples of low health care literacy
• How to recognize patients with low literacy
• Strategies to help patients with low literacy and reduce medical errors
• Cultural issues in health literacy
• Ways to create a patient-friendly office environment
• How to improve patient communication
• Guidelines to target and overcome common problems practitioners encounter
This clear, well written book is packed with examples and tips and will serve as a much needed guide for primary care providers, nurse practitioners, hospital administrators, and others who are looking for ways to improve their communication with patients and provide the most beneficial health care to their low-literacy patients.

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Gloria G. Mayer (RN, EdD, FAAN), is President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Advancement in La Habra, California. Dr. Mayer received her master's and doctorate from Columbia University. She has taught nursing, worked at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis as associate chief for research, and served as an executive with managed care organizations.Michael Villaire (MSLM), is Director of Programs and Operations at the Institute for Healthcare Advancement (IHA). He worked as assistant director for communications with the Los Angeles County Medical Association and was managing editor of the LACMA Physician. From 1991 to 2000 he was with the American Association of Critical Care Nurses/InnoVision Communications, where he served as projects director and managing editor of three AACN publications. He has been with IHA since 2000.

Tags: health literacy primary care