Journal article
Becoming a health literate organization: Formative research results from healthcare organizations providing care for undeserved communities
Health services management research : an official journal of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, Vol.30(4), pp.188-196
11/2017
DOI: 10.1177/0951484817727130
Abstract
Background
Integrating health literacy into primary care institutional policy and practice is critical to effective, patient centered health care. While attributes of health literate organizations have been proposed, approaches for strengthening them in healthcare systems with limited resources have not been fully detailed.
Methods
We conducted key informant interviews with individuals from 11 low resourced health care organizations serving uninsured, underinsured, and government-insured patients across Missouri. The qualitative inquiry explored concepts of impetus to transform, leadership commitment, engaging staff, alignment to organization wide goals, and integration of health literacy with current practices.
Findings
Several health care organizations reported carrying out health literacy related activities including implementing patient portals, selecting easy to read patient materials, offering community education and outreach programs, and improving discharge and medication distribution processes. The need for change presented itself through data or anecdotal staff experience. For any change to be undertaken, administrators and medical directors had to be supportive; most often a champion facilitated these changes in the organization. Staff and providers were often resistant to change and worried they would be saddled with additional work. Lack of time and funding were the most common barriers reported for integration and sustainability. To overcome these barriers, managers supported changes by working one on one with staff, seeking external funding, utilizing existing resources, planning for stepwise implementation, including members from all staff levels and clear communication.
Conclusion
Even though barriers exist, resource scarce clinical settings can successfully plan, implement, and sustain organizational changes to support health literacy.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Becoming a health literate organization: Formative research results from healthcare organizations providing care for undeserved communities
- Creators
- Prajakta Adsul - Saint Louis UniversityRicardo Wray - Saint Louis UniversityKanak Gautam - Saint Louis UniversityKeri Jupka - Saint Louis UniversityNancy Weaver - Saint Louis UniversityKristin Wilson - Saint Louis University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Health services management research : an official journal of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, Vol.30(4), pp.188-196
- DOI
- 10.1177/0951484817727130
- ISSN
- 0951-4848
- eISSN
- 1758-1044
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 11/2017
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Record Identifier
- 9984274666302771
Metrics
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