Definition and Importance of Health Literacy What is “Health Literacy” and Why is it Important to Informed Consent? The Institute of Medicine defines health literacy as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” Studies have shown that a large number of people do not understand the health information given to them by their doctors. For this reason, consent forms must be written in clear and understandable language. Most states’ Medicaid guidelines suggest patient education materials such as consent forms be written at a 6th-grade reading level. Consider the following sentence, written at progressively lower grade levels: College ... Are you a Curi member? The full content of this resource is available only to Curi members. Contact us if you are a member but do not have an account yet, or to learn more about becoming a Curi member. Sign in to see full post News & Knowledge READ NEXT June 19, 2023July 6, 2023Clinical Care | Continuing Medical Education (CME) | Toolkits *New* Chronic Pain Toolkit The nation’s opioid epidemic is taking an increasing share of physicians’ attention and adding a range of new regulatory, licensing, and educational requirements. With those requirements comes a need for increased information. With this toolkit, Curi hopes to give providers the tools they need to more effectively deliver chronic pain evaluation and therapy in a way that makes both the patient and provider feel comfortable. Read more March 28, 2023July 24, 2023Clinical Care | Patient Management Prescription Fraud Reporting in North Carolina: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Prescription fraud occurs when someone obtains prescription drugs unlawfully. There are numerous ways to do this, including… Read more January 13, 2023March 9, 2023Clinical Care | Patient Management | Patient Satisfaction | Physician Patient Relationship Guidance for Disclosure of Adverse Events Communicating with patients and families after an unexpected adverse outcome can be difficult. A proactive disclosure of an adverse outcome may defuse anger and prevent potential litigation. Read more