Q&A: Asking the patients the right questions to determine health literacy

Q: What are some questions that a case manager should ask to really get a sense of a patient’s health literacy?

A: Case managers must be proficient in understanding a variety of medical conditions and diagnoses and how an illness impacts patient functioning. Ask what the patient knows about his or her illness and health history. What treatment regimen is the patient following? What is his or her history of adherence to healthcare recommendations? Does he or she follow medical conventions, use alternative medicine, or folk remedies? If the diagnosis is not a new condition, does the patient lack understanding or need additional teaching or training to care for him- or herself? This is a way to determine health literacy and a patient’s relationship or comfort with the medical environment, which will impact the way a case manager and other health professionals deliver information.

For more information, see the Case Management Patient Communication Toolkit. Need expert advice? Email your questions for consideration in the Revenue Cycle Daily Advisor. Note: We do not guarantee that all questions will be answered.