Are you confused about health information? You're not alone | Lisa Fitzpatrick | TEDxMidAtlantic

Summary

Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick highlights the critical issue of low health literacy, which leads to confusion and increased healthcare costs. She emphasizes the importance of clear communication and the need for healthcare providers to embrace technology to educate patients effectively. Through her 'Dr. Lisa on The Street' initiative, she showcases the power of the grapevine in spreading health information and stresses the need for accurate, accessible knowledge. Dr. Fitzpatrick calls for individuals to take control of their health literacy, engage with healthcare providers, and seek out the information necessary for maintaining good health.

Takeaways

• 😀 Health literacy is crucial for understanding and utilizing health information effectively.
• 🏥 Despite being constantly exposed to health information, many people still struggle with health literacy, leading to confusion and misinformation.
• 💸 Low health literacy can be costly, with estimates suggesting it costs up to $238 billion annually in the U.S. due to increased healthcare utilization.
• 👨‍⚕️ The healthcare system often uses outdated tools and communication strategies that don't align with patient needs, leading to gaps in health literacy.
• 📱 Embracing technology can be a key solution to improving health literacy, as it allows for more accessible and engaging communication with patients.
• 🌐 The 'grapevine' or word-of-mouth communication plays a significant role in spreading health information, which can be both beneficial and detrimental if not verified.
• 🤝 Patients should take an active role in their health by seeking out information, asking questions, and ensuring they understand their healthcare.
• 📈 Investing in health literacy can lead to significant savings for the healthcare system, with research showing a potential return of $25 for every $1 spent.
• 👂 Listening to patients and communicating in a language they understand is essential for improving health outcomes and building trust.
• 🚑 Preventable health crises, like the case of John who ended up in a diabetic coma, highlight the urgent need for better health literacy and patient-provider communication.

Q & A

What is health literacy and why is it important?

Health literacy is the ability to understand and utilize health information. It is important because low health literacy can lead to confusion and misinformation, which can result in people seeking medical care later when they are sicker, incurring higher healthcare costs.

What is the estimated annual cost of low health literacy?

The latest cost estimates of low health literacy are up to $238 billion a year.

How does the speaker plan to use her skills to address health literacy?

The speaker, along with a videographer named Francis Tatum, created 'Dr. Lisa on The Street' to educate people about basic health information in a relatable and understandable way.

What role does the grapevine play in health information dissemination?

The grapevine acts as a powerful educator, often spreading information quickly. However, it can also lead to the spread of misinformation, causing chaos and confusion, as seen in the example of the recent Ebola scare.

Why do outdated tools and strategies contribute to health literacy issues?

Outdated tools and strategies fail to effectively communicate with patients, leading to misunderstandings and lack of engagement. For example, using a health literacy test that only measures reading ability doesn't necessarily reflect a patient's ability to follow medical advice or manage their health.

What is the speaker's view on the use of technology in healthcare communication?

The speaker believes that doctors need to embrace technology to improve communication with patients. She suggests that patients should push for this change, as it can help in educating people with health information more effectively.

How can individuals manage the information they receive from the grapevine?

Individuals should verify the information they receive before spreading it on the grapevine. They should not believe things just because they sound true.

What is the potential return on investment for improving health literacy?

Research shows that for every $1 spent on health literacy, we can save $25, indicating a significant return on investment.

Why did John's experience with healthcare result in a diabetic coma?

John's experience resulted in a diabetic coma because he stopped taking his medication without consulting his doctor and did not return to a healthcare provider for a check-up for 10 years, despite being pre-diabetic.

What advice does the speaker give to patients regarding their healthcare?

The speaker advises patients to take control of their health, avoid gaps in care, find a healthcare provider that meets their expectations, and be persistent in getting the information they need to maintain their health.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Health Literacy: A Crucial Yet Overlooked Issue

The speaker, Dr. Lisa, introduces the concept of health literacy, which is the ability to understand and use health information effectively. She shares a personal anecdote about her father's confusion between a gynecologist and a urologist to illustrate the widespread nature of this issue. Dr. Lisa emphasizes that health literacy is a problem affecting people across various demographics and suggests that the constant influx of health information does not necessarily translate to understanding. She points out the high costs associated with low health literacy, which can lead to more expensive healthcare interventions due to delayed treatment. To address this, Dr. Lisa and a videographer, Francis Tatum, created 'Dr. Lisa on The Street,' an educational initiative aimed at improving health literacy among the public. The video segment showcases the public's confusion with medical terms and misunderstandings about health issues, highlighting the need for better health communication.

05:01

📈 The Grapevine Effect and the Role of Technology in Health Education

Dr. Lisa discusses the power of the grapevine, or word-of-mouth communication, in educating people about health. She notes that while the grapevine can be effective, it often spreads misinformation, as seen during the Ebola scare. She stresses the importance of verifying information before sharing it. The speaker also addresses the healthcare system's failure to educate patients effectively, attributing this to outdated tools and strategies. She criticizes the reliance on fax machines in an era where patients expect digital communication and points out the discomfort doctors sometimes feel in discussing certain health issues with patients. Dr. Lisa argues for the need to embrace technology in healthcare to improve communication and health literacy, suggesting that patients should demand such changes from healthcare providers.

10:05

💡 Empowering Patients for Better Health Outcomes

In the final paragraph, Dr. Lisa calls for action to improve health literacy. She advises people to manage the information they receive through the grapevine by verifying its accuracy. She encourages healthcare providers to adopt technology to communicate and educate patients effectively. Dr. Lisa also stresses the importance of patients taking control of their health by avoiding gaps in care, finding healthcare providers that meet their needs, and being persistent in seeking clear and understandable information from medical professionals. She concludes by emphasizing that health literacy is a shared responsibility and that patients should be proactive in their healthcare journey.

Keywords

💡Health Literacy

Health literacy refers to an individual's ability to understand and utilize health information to make informed decisions about their health. In the video, it is highlighted as a critical issue because low health literacy can lead to confusion and mismanagement of health, resulting in higher costs and poorer health outcomes. The speaker emphasizes the importance of improving health literacy to reduce healthcare expenses and improve patient outcomes.

💡Grapevine

The grapevine in the context of the video represents informal communication channels, such as word-of-mouth and social media, through which health information is often shared. The speaker points out that while the grapevine can be a powerful tool for education, it can also spread misinformation, leading to confusion and chaos, as illustrated by the example of the Ebola scare.

💡Misinformation

Misinformation is incorrect or misleading information that is spread, often unintentionally, through various channels. In the video, the speaker discusses how misinformation can spread rapidly through the grapevine, causing unnecessary panic and incorrect actions, such as the widespread closures and quarantines during the Ebola scare mentioned in the script.

💡Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in populations. The speaker mentions their 20 years of experience in public health, medical epidemiology, and medicine, which provides them with a deep understanding of how health information is disseminated and the challenges associated with health literacy.

💡Healthcare System

The healthcare system encompasses all organizations, people, and actions whose primary purpose is to provide essential healthcare services to individuals. The video discusses how individuals with low health literacy are more likely to utilize expensive parts of the healthcare system, such as emergency rooms and hospitals, due to a lack of understanding of their health needs and options.

💡Technology in Healthcare

Technology in healthcare refers to the use of digital tools and systems to improve patient care, communication, and health management. The speaker suggests that embracing technology, such as using text and email for communication, can help improve health literacy and patient engagement, making healthcare more accessible and efficient.

💡Communication Strategies

Communication strategies in healthcare involve the methods and techniques used to convey health information effectively to patients. The video highlights the need for updated communication strategies that are more patient-centered and utilize modern tools to ensure that patients understand their health conditions and treatment options.

💡Patient-Doctor Relationship

The patient-doctor relationship is the interaction and connection between healthcare providers and their patients. The video script uses the example of John to illustrate how a poor patient-doctor relationship, characterized by a lack of trust and understanding, can lead to negative health outcomes and a failure to manage chronic conditions effectively.

💡Preventable Illness

A preventable illness is a health condition that can be avoided through appropriate healthcare measures, such as vaccinations, lifestyle changes, or regular check-ups. The speaker mentions that John's diabetes was a preventable illness, emphasizing the role of health literacy and effective healthcare communication in preventing the onset of such conditions.

💡Diabetic Coma

A diabetic coma is a life-threatening condition characterized by a deep state of unconsciousness that occurs when blood sugar levels are either extremely high or low. In the video, John's diabetic coma serves as a dramatic example of the consequences of poor health literacy and inadequate management of a chronic condition like diabetes.

💡Healthcare Costs

Healthcare costs refer to the expenses associated with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of health conditions. The video discusses how low health literacy can lead to increased healthcare costs due to the need for more expensive interventions, such as emergency care, when individuals present with more severe health issues.

Highlights

Health literacy is defined as the ability to understand and utilize health information.

Health information confusion is widespread, affecting people regardless of race, gender, age, income, and geography.

Low health literacy can lead to increased healthcare costs, estimated up to $238 billion a year.

People with low health literacy are more likely to seek medical help at later stages of illness.

The speaker's initiative to educate people about basic health information led to the creation of 'Dr. Lisa on The Street'.

The grapevine, or word-of-mouth communication, is a powerful but often inaccurate educator.

Misinformation spread through the grapevine can lead to chaos, as seen in the recent Ebola scare.

Healthcare providers are failing to educate patients due to outdated tools and communication strategies.

Health literacy tests may not accurately reflect a patient's ability to manage their health.

Outdated communication methods like fax machines are still in use, despite patient preferences for modern communication.

Language barriers and discomfort can prevent doctors from discussing crucial health issues with patients.

Investing in health literacy can lead to significant savings, with a potential return of $25 for every $1 spent.

Patient stories, like John's, illustrate the importance of health literacy and the consequences of poor communication.

Managing the grapevine by verifying information before spreading it can help counteract misinformation.

Doctors should embrace technology to improve communication with patients and enhance health literacy.

Patients should take control of their health by seeking out information and avoiding gaps in care.

Finding a healthcare provider that meets a patient's expectations is crucial for effective healthcare.

Patients should be persistent in getting the information they need and not be afraid to ask questions.

Transcripts

Translator: Julia Allen Reviewer: Tanya Cushman

This is my dad.

He's actually one of the smartest people I know.

As you can see, he's a Cardinals fan.

That's because we're from St. Louis, Missouri,

which is where I grew up.

I was there a few months ago.

We were having breakfast.

We were having a conversation.

"Dad, how's your health?"

"I'm doing great!

Next week, I'm going to see my gynecologist."

(Laughter)

"Your urologist!"

"Oh, yeah, yeah."

(Laughter)

Dad is not alone, though.

He got a little mixed up.

Raise your hand if you've ever been confused

by a medical term or something your doctor said.

In my 20 years of experience in public health

and medical epidemiology and medicine,

this confusion transcends race, gender,

age, income, and geography.

That means we have a problem with health literacy.

Health literacy is the ability

to understand and utilize health information.

But what's interesting

is we're bombarded by health information almost 24 hours a day.

But people are still confused.

They don't know what to eat,

how much to drink, who to see for what.

We have low health literacy.

And low health literacy can get expensive.

Latest cost estimates of health literacy,

low health literacy,

are up to $238 billion a year.

That's because people who have low health literacy

are more likely to enter our health care system

when they're sicker,

so they show up in the ER.

They're hospitalized.

They may even have surgery.

These are our most expensive forms of healthcare.

Now, I've been thinking about this for a long time.

I've been trying to figure out,

how do I use my interest and my skills

to teach people about basic health information?

So one day I was in a bike shop,

and I met a videographer named Francis Tatum,

and I told him about my desire to educate people.

So together, we created Dr. Lisa on The Street.

Take a look.

(Video) Lisa Fitzpatrick: Doctors often speak in a language

that people don't understand.

Has this ever happened to you?

Man: Pretty much all the time.

Man: Exacerbate, I don't know that word.

Woman: Hold on, you can't extend?

LF: How does the flu spread?

Man 1: Not cooking your food properly.

Man 2: That's salmonella. Man 1: Well, that's -

Man: No, don't want one. I see everyone pushing it.

They keep pushing it; everyone keep pushing it.

I'm sick of corporate America pushing stuff on me.

LF: Shawn got some Pop-Tarts. Shawn: Yeah.

LF: Okay, didn't you just tell me that we have to cut down on sugar?

Shawn: I did.

LF: And you're a diabetic. And you have Pop-Tarts and Froot Loops.

Man: These are the kidneys or lungs.

LF: You said kidneys or lungs?

Man: The kidneys or the lungs.

LF: So, that's the kidney. This is the lung.

Woman: [Went to] the hospital with her one day,

and she wanted to see if she was pregnant,

but she said, "Oh, I got a stomachache," or something like that, so it depends.

LF: You go to the emergency room, get a physical? So do you have a -

Man: sometimes, it depends.

LF: How do you think we can get the message out to them?

Man: The way you talkin' to me now. Each one, teach one.

That's the way to spread the news.

LF: I'm Dr. Lisa. I'll see you on the street.

(Applause)

So what have I learned from walking the streets?

(Laughter)

I learned a couple of important things.

The first one is the grapevine is a powerful educator.

Now, I suspect most of us are getting

some of our information from the grapevine,

whether it's through casual conversation or the media.

It's like the game of telephone.

You tell the first person,

and then by the time it gets to the end of the line,

the message is all garbled.

But the grapevine's not all bad.

It's actually pretty effective at transmitting information.

The problem is a lot of the information just is not true.

(Laughter)

And when bad information gets on the grapevine,

it creates chaos.

A fantastic example of this is the recent Ebola scare.

Remember that?

There wasn't enough information reaching the public,

so the grapevine took over, and what happened?

We closed schools.

We quarantined people in hospitals.

We barred people from airplanes.

We even kept a cruise ship from docking.

That's because there wasn't enough good information on the grapevine

to counteract all the misinformation.

This is a great example of why we need better information on the grapevine.

Now, the second thing I learned -

and I knew this to an extent already

because everybody I talked to on the street had a doctor.

But I learned we are failing to educate you, our patients.

And I think we're failing for a couple reasons.

First, because our tools are outdated.

Not just our physical tools,

but the strategies we use to communicate with people.

For example,

this is a health literacy test.

I ask a person to read the words on this paper.

Then I give them a score, and voila,

I'm supposed to know if they're health literate.

Now, this test might tell me if someone can read,

(Laughter)

but I'm pretty sure

it doesn't tell me the things I really care about,

like, "Will she take her medications,"

or "Will he keep his appointments?"

And look at this.

I still have a fax machine in my office!

Raise your hand

if you have never used one of these.

(Laughter)

Right?

At a time when patients are asking us

to communicate with them via text and email,

doctors are still communicating via fax,

and even my dad has a cell phone.

(Laughter)

But we're also failing

because we use language that's comfortable for us and not you.

I asked one of my colleagues

why he wasn't testing his patients for HIV,

and he said, "Well, I've had most of these patients for 20 years.

It's just awkward to bring it up."

(Laughter)

So I thought for a minute, and I said,

"Do you prescribe Viagra?"

He got the message.

(Laughter)

(Applause)

He was denying his patients an opportunity to be as healthy as they could be.

So, why does all this matter?

It matters because research shows

that for every $1 spent on health literacy,

we can save $25.

That means if we spend $1 million on health literacy,

we can save our system $25 million.

That's impact.

But it also matters because of people like John.

He says things like, "I don't trust doctors.

They're nothing but drug dealers working for drug companies."

But then he said something that really struck me.

He said, "Doctors don't listen.

If I go in for a headache,

I don't want you talking to me about my liver.

I just want something for my headache."

I had to explain to him

the headache is actually a symptom of a much bigger problem,

and it's our job to figure out what's causing the headache.

Well, John was diagnosed with diabetes two years ago,

but before that,

he hadn't seen a provider in 10 years.

And at that time, the doctor told him he was pre-diabetic.

But he didn't go back because he felt fine,

but also because he didn't like the way the doctor spoke to him.

Fast forward, he sees another doctor who says,

"Guess what? You have diabetes."

He puts him on medication,

but John stops taking the medication without even talking to his doctor.

And almost a year later,

he's rushed to the emergency room in an ambulance

in a diabetic coma,

and he spends eight days in the hospital.

He is a great example of why health literacy matters,

and our health care system is flooded with patients like John.

So, what can we do about it?

First, we can manage the grapevine.

The grapevine

is like ivy.

You know what happens to ivy; you've seen it.

If you don't maintain it and control it,

it spreads like wildfire.

And bad information travels very fast on the grapevine

because it's associated with drama,

and people usually love drama.

(Laughter)

But we don't want to destroy the grapevine.

We actually need it.

We need it to help counteract the misinformation.

So, what can you do?

Before spreading information on the grapevine, verify it,

and don't believe things just because they sound true.

Next, I think doctors need to embrace technology,

but you have to push for it

because the change in our healthcare system

comes from demand from you.

And nowadays, almost everybody has a device.

I was riding my bike last week,

and I turned down this small road,

and there was a group of people standing on the street,

and nobody waved.

Nobody even saw me

because they were all looking down at their cell phone.

I believe if we are this captivated by devices,

we should definitely use them to educate people

with health information, don't you?

Audience: Yeah.

So you push your health care providers toward technology.

Thank you, please!

Take control of your health.

Your health literacy is up to you.

So, avoid gaps in care.

Remember John?

It took him 10 years to get back to the doctor,

but his illness was completely preventable.

Find your health care provider.

John was frustrated

because he and his doctors were mismatched,

and they didn't meet his expectations.

Unfortunately, there's no match.com for doctors and patients.

(Laughter)

But that's a hint to you entrepreneurs out there.

(Laughter)

He became frustrated and discouraged, and he gave up,

but he was the one who suffered in the end.

So don't be like John.

And finally,

be persistent in getting the information you need.

Ask if you don't understand something, unapologetically.

I know office visits are short,

but that's our problem; it's not yours.

So speak up and get the information you need to be healthy.

I'm Dr. Lisa,

and I'll see you on the street.

(Applause)