Messages

Today is Sunday. I’ve heard several messages. One encouraged using your voice and another focused on shining your light. As I work to expand my brand and vision, I feel empowered to do both, shine my light and use my voice.

I was reading some posts and articles from EPIC- a medical software platform used by many healthcare systems. I noticed the focus was on how systems use these platforms to identify patients at risk. That’s a good thing. Data can also be used to track diagnosis, admission characteristics and more.

I want to use my voice and collaborate with these platforms to change the patient facing characteristics of these platforms. Over and over again patients identify two issues: accessing and understanding personal

chart information. For those who can access, let’s make information clear using plain language strategies. For those who are frustrated accessing EMR charts, let’s provide guidance and tools with real time, embedded, point of contact assistance.

What good is quality healthcare when outcomes are poor? What good is having information which cannot be understood?

Health literacy expands beyond organizations. Include patient level skills when developing platforms. The results will lead to improved health literacy levels and improved public health outcomes.