Literacy: a problem that managers must handle

Patient and employee illiteracy is a problem that health care managers must deal with. More than half of all Americans may be unable to read and understand written materials used in hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities. There is a mismatch between employees' and patients' reading level and the reading level of most written materials used by health care facilities. This can lead to noncompliance with treatment, missed appointments, wrong dosage of medications, uninformed consent, and undo fear among patients. Employees who are unable to read directions or policies and procedures are not able to do their jobs efficiently. There are things that managers can do to make written materials more user-friendly.