Say Ah! is kicking off National Health Literacy Month with a quick class to help you make better choices about your health and health care. The key to doing well in our class is practice! Use these tips again and again to improve your health literacy, which studies show can help you improve your health.
Top 11 Lessons for Health Literacy
1. Tell each of your doctors ALL of the medications you are taking
2. Bring a list of questions and concerns with you to your doctor’s appointment
3. Make sure you understand any instructions before leaving your doctor or pharmacists, such as how to take your medications correctly, how to use a new medical device (like an inhaler), how much you are supposed to “rest” etc
4. Ask questions when your doctor says something you don’t fully (or even remotely) understand!
5. Tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Your doctor needs to know as much as possible about your health, so go out of your way to answer questions correctly.
6. Tell your doctor costs are a concern, and tell your doctor what your insurance plan is.
7. Speak up when you are confused, and say “What??? I don’t understand. Can you explain that is simpler words. Or draw a picture. Or something!”
8. Always, always take notes. Never ever rely on your memory alone.
9. Trust your gut. If something — a diagnosis, a treatment, anything — feels wrong, let your doctor know. If your doctor does not listen to you, follow Tip #10.
10. Be the customer. Find another doctor is you are not getting the care you need.
11. Look around this site to learn more. And have a great day!