Written by: Beth Gromada Scott, Director, Marketing & Sales, Institute for Healthcare Advancement, Anaheim, CA
Last year, I experienced severe chest pain while vacationing abroad. The pain was scary, as were the linguistic challenges and financial options at the hospital. After the busy central city ER doctor rushed my tests and quickly gave me the non-life-threatening results, I was told to leave.
However, I needed clarification about the test results, so I asked to talk with an interpreter. I also spoke with a financial representative to settle my insurance, and a pharmacist about the prescribed medications. Only then did I feel comfortable leaving, and as I did, I felt grateful to have health literacy.
Flash back to 10 years ago. I was a marketing project manager with a large company when I realized most corporations value profit over people. My company’s marketing efforts focused on putting concrete everywhere, while I value nature.
So, for altruistic reasons, I accepted a marketing position at a non-profit focused on this thing called health literacy. Private admission: I knew nothing about health literacy. During my tenure, I’ve not only mastered health literacy principles and practices, but I’ve also heard many incredible stories and personally experienced how health literacy affects lives.
Sadly, many healthcare communicators overlook this critical element when trying to reach the people who need their message the most.
What In The World Is Health Literacy?
Health literacy is defined as “The ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions.” Yet, according to the CDC, 88% of U.S. adults struggle to understand health information when it’s complex or unfamiliar. People with low health literacy experience higher rates of hospitalization, serious medication errors, and worse long-term health outcomes.
They may not understand registration forms, healthcare communication, or discharge instructions. With limited digital health literacy skills, they may not understand how to navigate your website or schedule a telehealth visit.
Why Should Marketers Care About Health Literacy?
Health literacy isn’t just an ambiguous concept — it’s a practical tool to raise the standard for your healthcare marketing. As healthcare organizations evolve to meet modern challenges, integrating health literacy best practices into your marketing, communications, and advertising is a powerful strategy to improve patient engagement, build trust, and advance health equity.
Effective communication is the cornerstone of healthcare marketing. When patients, caregivers, and the broader community don’t fully understand health-related information, there is a risk of misinterpretation, confusion, or disengagement. Health literacy helps bridge this gap by ensuring your message is clear, accessible, and easy to comprehend.
Health Literacy Builds Trust
Without trust, patients may hesitate to seek care, follow treatment plans, or openly communicate their health concerns. One of the most powerful ways to build trust is through transparent, clear, and accessible communication. Healthcare organizations can establish stronger, more reliable relationships with their audiences by implementing health literacy practices into their marketing and communications.
Promoting Transparency and Clarity
Presenting health information accessibly reduces the likelihood of confusion or misinformation. Clear communication can set realistic patient expectations and help individuals make informed decisions about their care. Healthcare organizations that consistently provide information in a transparent and understandable manner are more likely to earn patients’ trust.
Reducing Health-Related Anxiety
Health-related anxiety is common, especially when individuals don’t fully understand medical information. A lack of clarity can lead to disengagement or avoidance of care. Implementing health literacy practices helps alleviate anxiety, making patients feel comfortable and confident in their healthcare decisions.
Encouraging Patient Engagement
When patients understand their health conditions, treatment options, and the reasons behind medical decisions, they feel more empowered and in control of their health. This sense of empowerment fosters deeper trust in healthcare providers and encourages ongoing engagement with their care plans.
Health Literacy Promotes Health Equity
Health literacy is a critical driver of health equity. People from different socio-economic backgrounds, educational levels, and cultural contexts experience varying degrees of access to quality healthcare information. Healthcare organizations can address disparities and improve outcomes among underserved populations by utilizing health literacy practices that make medical information more accessible.
Addressing Health Disparities
Health disparities are often rooted in unequal access to accurate, understandable health information. By adopting health literacy principles, healthcare organizations can ensure that their communications are inclusive and equitable to a broad audience.
Engaging Diverse Communities
Culturally competent communication is a vital aspect of advancing health equity. Health literacy practices encourage healthcare organizations to consider cultural norms, language preferences, and health beliefs when creating marketing and communication materials. When individuals from diverse populations can relate to your message, it fosters a stronger connection and promotes engagement.
Improved Patient Adherence
Studies show that patients who better understand their diagnosis and treatment plan are more likely to follow through. Providing clear, actionable instructions helps patients stay on track with their care, leading to better health outcomes and fewer hospitalizations.
The Business Case for Health Literacy
If your organization is involved in healthcare delivery, prioritizing health literacy offers significant business advantages.
Bottom Line Benefit: Health Literacy Improves Patient Outcomes
Integrating health literacy practices into your marketing, communications, and advertising doesn’t just improve patient engagement and trust — it directly affects overall healthcare outcomes. When patients understand their health conditions and treatment options, they are more likely to adhere to prescribed medications, attend follow-up appointments, and make healthier lifestyle choices.
Bottom Line Benefit: Decreased Health Costs
Patients who are well-informed about their health are less likely to require emergency care or experience complications due to misunderstandings or non-compliance. Also, by addressing health disparities early, healthcare systems can avoid the long-term costs associated with treating preventable conditions.
Bottom Line Benefit: Decreased Legal Risk
Studies show that health literate organizations are less likely to face malpractice claims. If your organization is using unnecessarily complicated documents, or have complex procedures, these may affect a patient’s ability to understand and make informed decisions. Integrating health literacy practices reduce patient complaints from misinformation or misinterpretation that can lead to negative reviews, poor accreditation ratings, even lawsuits. Everyone benefits from revisiting or redesigning communication practices to ensure patient understanding
How To Start Using Health Literacy In Your Messaging
Although the benefits of accessible communication are clear, many organizations don’t know where to start. Fortunately, integrating health literacy doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Small, intentional changes can make a massive difference. Here’s how to get started.
Simplifying Complex Medical Terminology
Healthcare professionals are accustomed to using technical terms and medical jargon, but this language is overwhelming for many patients. Following health literacy principles means using plain language to break down complex concepts so patients understand their health conditions and treatment options. With better understanding, they become more likely to take positive action.
Designing Accessible Formats
Health literacy also extends to the design of marketing materials. Websites, brochures, and advertisements should be visually clear and intuitive to guide readers through important information. Using large fonts, high-contrast colors, and easily navigable layouts helps ensure information is accessible to those with limited reading abilities or visual impairments.
Utilizing Multiple Communication Channels
Not all patients consume information in the same way. Some prefer written content; others benefit from audio-visual formats or in-person discussions. Healthcare organizations should offer information across various formats tailored to diverse needs, ensuring consumers receive necessary health information in a way they understand.
3 Ways To Become A Health-Literate Communicator
There are many resources available to help advance your professional health literacy journey. Consider taking these three action steps today.
1. Build Knowledge
Improve your health literacy knowledge through training programs on health literacy principles. Look for an accredited program to ensure the training is backed by the latest evidence and expert recommendations. Some programs may also offer a certificate or digital badge upon finishing that you can add to your resume and social media accounts.
2. Add Skills
Writing, editing and design are learned skills. So is mastering the use of health literacy best practices. Look for skills training that incorporates creating accurate, accessible content with cultural competency and digital health literacy tactics. Gaining these additional skills enhances your ability to become a leader in health literacy communications.
3. Incorporate Assessments
Despite the proven positive impact of accessible health communication, many organizations struggle to ensure their materials meet plain language standards. Regular assessment of your communication and marketing strategy is essential. With health literacy-focused assessments, you can improve patient outcomes, support health equity, strengthen brand reputation, reduce errors, and increase compliance.
If you want to stand out to healthcare clients, now is the time to start incorporating health literacy principles into your strategy.
Organizations prioritizing health literacy will better position themselves to improve patient engagement, foster trust, and advance health equity in the coming years. Accessible content will be at the core of this mission. Adopting health literacy communication practices sets you apart and enables you to deliver valuable campaigns that build long-term patient trust and loyalty.