The Role of Universal Health Literacy Precautions in Minimizing “Medspeak” and Promoting Shared Decision Making

Bibliographic Data

ID15746646
AuthorsLara Killian (0000-0003-4160-7565, Nova Scotia Health Authority, corresponding author), Margo Coletti (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center)
Year2017
Volume19
Issue3
Pages296-303
Publication date2017-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe AMA Journal of Ethic (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2376-6980 • E-ISSN: 2376-6980
PublisherAmerican Medical Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1001/journalofethics.2017.19.3.pfor1-1703
PMID28323611
OpenAlexW2600301280
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited2

Shared decision making (SDM), a collaborative process whereby patients and professionals make health care decisions together, is a cornerstone of ethical patient care. The patient-clinician communication necessary to achieve SDM depends on many factors, not the least of which is a shared language (sometimes with the aid of a medical interpreter). However, even when a patient and clinician are speaking the same mother tongue, the use of medical jargon can pose a large and unnecessary barrier. This article discusses how health care professionals can use "universal health literacy precautions" as a legal, practical, and ethical means to enhance SDM and improve health care outcomes

Cornerstone · Health care · Health literacy · Interpreter · Jargon · Language barrier · Linguistics · Literacy · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Computer Science · Health Literacy and Information Accessibility · Medicine · Nursing · Patient Dignity and Privacy · Patient-Provider Communication in Healthcare · Psychology

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