About the Partnership for Clear Health Communication

To further examine this pressing issue and develop tools for improving our nation's health literacy, the Partnership for Clear Health Communication (PCHC) was founded in the fall of 2002 by a Steering Committee of 19 organizations and individuals working closely with health literacy experts.

PCHC is a national, non-profit 501(c)3 coalition that serves as an information source regarding the scope and impact of health literacy in the U.S., as well as what providers and patients can do to improve health communication in every provider-patient interaction.

Our mission is to build awareness and advance solutions to improve health literacy and positively impact health outcomes.

Partnership Key Accomplishments

Ask Me 3

In May 2003, the Partnership for Clear Health Communication (PCHC) launched our first solution-based initiative, Ask Me 3. Ask Me 3 is a quick, effective tool designed to improve health communication between patients and providers. Through patient and provider education materials developed by leading health literacy experts, Ask Me 3 promotes three simple but essential questions that patients should ask their providers in every health care interaction and that providers should always encourage their patients to understand the answers to:

1. What is my main problem?
2. What do I need to do?
3. Why is it important for me to do this?

Since the launch of Ask Me 3, PCHC has distributed more nearly 1 million Ask Me 3 brochures, posters and program implementation guides to hospitals, senior centers, employers, universities, patient groups and other organizations interested in improving health communication nationwide. Ask Me 3 materials are available in English and Spanish.

Medicare Rx

PCHC is working closely with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on increasing awareness and understanding around the new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit. In partnership with PCHC, CMS developed and released two co-branded brochures and a tear-off information sheet for patients around the new benefit. The first general awareness brochure, Medicare Rx, is designed to answer key questions about the benefit. In addition to providing important dates for the Medicare Prescription Drug coverage and next steps for selecting a plan, the brochure answers the following three questions for consumers:

• What does the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage do for me?
• How do I get this Prescription Drug Coverage?
• How do I sign up?

Another brochure, A Special Communication for Health Care Professionals-Medicare Rx Prescription Drug Coverage, is aimed at providing health care professionals top-line information about the benefit to share with their patients. In addition, PCHC and CMS developed a tear-off sheet for providers to give to their patients to assist them in the decision-making process as they evaluate their current coverage and select a plan that meets their needs. The provider-based materials give health care professionals a broad understanding of the benefit and a clear and concise way to discuss the benefit with their patients-as well as a take-away that will help guide their decision-making process once they leave the physicians' office.

PCHC and CMS are working closely with organizations, associations and health care providers to disseminate these materials across the United States.

Medicare Rx Brochure (English and Spanish)

The Board of Directors

We would like to introduce the Board of Directors for the Partnership for Clear Health Communication. Click Here >>

Resources - PCHC Download Center

For helpful resources and materials that are available to download free of charge, visit our Download Center. Click Here >>