Dr. Genelle Lamont

is to then focus on the provider and making sure that the provider is communicating clearly and speaking in plain language.

is to then focus on the provider and making sure that the provider is communicating clearly and speaking in plain language.

Right. That's a good question. So again, I'm kind of looking at things from a systems level approach.

Right. That's a good question. So again, I'm kind of looking at things from a systems level approach.

So if we were to invest money into having health literacy as a core component of the K through 12 health education curricula, and we made that mandatory for every state, how that would look in terms of prevention is that students would come out of high school, understanding more about how the healthcare system works, how to learn more about their health insurance, where to go for that.

So if we were to invest money into having health literacy as a core component of the K through 12 health education curricula, and we made that mandatory for every state, how that would look in terms of prevention is that students would come out of high school, understanding more about how the healthcare system works, how to learn more about their health insurance, where to go for that.

When is it appropriate to go to the emergency room versus schedule a regular medical appointment? They would know generally more about anatomy, physiology, and generally how systems work. So when they have pain somewhere, they would know precisely how to describe that pain and the location of the pain so that they can better communicate with their doctor.

When is it appropriate to go to the emergency room versus schedule a regular medical appointment? They would know generally more about anatomy, physiology, and generally how systems work. So when they have pain somewhere, they would know precisely how to describe that pain and the location of the pain so that they can better communicate with their doctor.

Right. And I think, again, from folks that are working in public health and some of these advocacy roles to be able to advocate for older adults. And to empower them to ask questions of their healthcare provider that at the end of the visit, at the very least, they should be able to answer the questions of what is my main problem?

Right. And I think, again, from folks that are working in public health and some of these advocacy roles to be able to advocate for older adults. And to empower them to ask questions of their healthcare provider that at the end of the visit, at the very least, they should be able to answer the questions of what is my main problem?

Why is it important for me to do the instructions that you're asking me to do? And what are some self-healthcare tips that I can bring up, right? That's part of it. Another often overlooked resource are librarians. health librarians in particular can help older adults or anyone in general to access health information sources that are vetted rather than having somebody just do a Google search.

Why is it important for me to do the instructions that you're asking me to do? And what are some self-healthcare tips that I can bring up, right? That's part of it. Another often overlooked resource are librarians. health librarians in particular can help older adults or anyone in general to access health information sources that are vetted rather than having somebody just do a Google search.

And maybe you might come up with some good information, but oftentimes you won't.

And maybe you might come up with some good information, but oftentimes you won't.

I have to think of one. So the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership, I am currently the interim chair for that. The founder and chair, Alicia Odeombo, unfortunately passed away this past year. But she did a whole lot of work. She was part of a quality improvement unit at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and

I have to think of one. So the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership, I am currently the interim chair for that. The founder and chair, Alicia Odeombo, unfortunately passed away this past year. But she did a whole lot of work. She was part of a quality improvement unit at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and

So she and a colleague were the ones that actually formed the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership. And early on, that was part of their work was to work with librarians to provide information more widely to the public. They also developed a toolkit actually specifically for older adults and caregivers on how to better improve their health literacy, where to find resources that are vetted.

So she and a colleague were the ones that actually formed the Minnesota Health Literacy Partnership. And early on, that was part of their work was to work with librarians to provide information more widely to the public. They also developed a toolkit actually specifically for older adults and caregivers on how to better improve their health literacy, where to find resources that are vetted.

Correct. I'm sure that this has been an ongoing problem. It was until recently, since the 90s and forward that there were actually studies in place that looked at these different issues and did find that folks that have lower levels of health literacy, you know, had greater use of the emergency room department, more hospitalizations and readmissions, less preventive care such as vaccinations.

Correct. I'm sure that this has been an ongoing problem. It was until recently, since the 90s and forward that there were actually studies in place that looked at these different issues and did find that folks that have lower levels of health literacy, you know, had greater use of the emergency room department, more hospitalizations and readmissions, less preventive care such as vaccinations.