Health Literacy and Health Communication

Communication is defined as “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feeling, etc., to someone else.”1 In medicine, good communication skills can result in greater patient satisfaction and compliance with medical treatments, improved health outcomes, decreased healthcare costs, and fewer malpractice claims.2-4 Good communication skills are essential for interacting with patients and for providing effective health care.2 In addition to communication skills, there are three elements that impact health communication. The Joint Commission described limited English proficiency, cultural differences, and low health literacy as the “triple threat” to effective health communication and patient safety, and it urges clinicians and organizations to address this triple threat in order to improve the safety and quality of patient care.5.