The Partnership for Clear Health Communication

What Can Organizations Do?

Understanding the scope and impact of health literacy is also vital to how your organization communicates critical health information to patients and providers.

How Can My Organization Participate?

The movement to enhanced health outcomes through improved health literacy is gaining momentum. A growing number of prominent organizations are using Partnership-developed materials to educate and motivate their provider and patient memberships with the goal of increasing positive health outcomes for all patients.

Organizations nationwide are doing a variety of things - most of them taking very little time - to support the goals of the Partnership for Clear Health Communication (PCHC) and help improve our nation's health literacy dramatically and immediately. Your organization can participate in these activities as well, starting today.

Educate Yourself and Your Staff

  • Broaden your knowledge of the low health literacy issue and associated concerns so that you can help your constituents, patients and providers. Information sources - including Ask Me 3 materials for patients and providers and a white paper detailing the scope and impact of low health literacy - are available in the Download Center:
  • Request that your organization's human resources department include this brochure among member-orientation materials.
  • Request that department heads review the PCHC Provider Brochure at your next staff meeting.
  • Include an article on the scope and impact of health literacy - and solutions such as Ask Me 3 - in your newsletter or on your Web site.
  • Display Ask Me 3 posters in your offices to encourage staff members to spread the word.

Educate Your Constituents

  • Conduct local outreach to promote clear health communication at hospitals and community centers.
  • Distribute Ask Me 3 materials and other health literacy information to your constituents.
  • Dedicate a section or panel to health literacy at your next convention or meeting. Helpful resources to increase the impact of this outreach are available in our Download Center.
  • Distribute Ask Me 3 patient and provider brochures at health fairs and events.

Educate Public Officials

  • Support funding for health literacy research and local literacy/English as a Second Language (ESL) programs.
  • Share Ask Me 3 and other health literacy materials, as well as your concern about health literacy, with:
    • Your state legislators
    • Your congressional representatives and senators
    • Advocacy groups in which you participate