Under Siege: Encouraging patients to become active members of their health care team!

Clear communication is the foundation for patients to be able to understand and act on health information. Ask Me 3 is a patient education program designed to improve communication between patients, caregivers and health care providers.

Created by the National Patient Safety Foundation, Ask Me 3, encourages patients to become active members of their health care team, and promote improved health outcomes. The program encourages patients to ask their health care providers three questions:

      

1.       What is my main problem?

2.       What do I need to do?

3.       Why is it important for me to do this?

Studies show that people who understand health instructions make fewer mistakes when they take their medicine or prepare for a medical procedure. They may also get well sooner or be able to better manage a chronic health condition.

The Impact of Low Health Literacy

Low health literacy is an enormous cost burden on the American healthcare system – annual health care costs for individuals with low literacy skills are 4 times higher than those with higher literacy skills.

Problems with patient compliance and medical errors may be based on poor understanding of health care information. Only about 50% of all patients take medications as directed.

Patients with low health literacy and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or hypertension, have less knowledge of their disease and its treatment and fewer correct self-management skills than literate patients.

Patients with low literacy skills were observed to have a 50% increased risk of hospitalization, compared with patients who had adequate literacy skills.

Research suggests that people with low literacy:

• Make more medication or treatment errors

• Are less able to comply with treatments

• Lack the skills needed to successfully negotiate the health care system

• Are at a higher risk for hospitalization than people with adequate literacy skills

Download the full article HEALTH LITERACY: STATISTICS AT-A-GLANCE.

mHealth Games  is a member of the National Patient Safety Foundation, and we are committed to improving the health literacy of all consumers through fun, interactive games at the point of care. 

In support of the National Patient Safety Foundation and their Ask Me 3 campaign, mHealth Games is proud to release their newest game, Under Siege.

Support health literacy and play today!

To play without creating an account, click here