“Professionals in public health and health care do not have the skills
or mechanisms to improve the literacy skills of their community population or
of their patients. They can, however, work to improve their own communication
skills, the procedures followed for communicating with and interacting with
people, and the forms and materials they write”
Dr. Rima Rudd
Senior Lecturer on Society, Human Development and Health
Harvard School of Public Health
The MSD/NALA Health Literacy Initiative has recommended three Top Tips for
healthcare professionals on how to communicate clearly with patients. These
tips are as follows:
- Avoid medical jargon, use plain English.
- Use images or visual aids or examples where possible to describe
a patient’s condition.
- Ask the patient to repeat what you have told them in their own
words to ensure they understand.
