Healthy Living

One thing I took away from Professor Flick’s lecture is how important health literacy is and how we as future occupational therapists are responsible for making sure our clients understand us. While I have heard of the term health literacy before, I do not think that I ever really thought too deeply about it. The video that Professor Flick showed us of the people who had lower reading levels really stuck out to me. The woman who had no clue that she was having a hysterectomy until after it was already finished shocked me. It is our responsibility as health professionals to make sure our clients understand what we are saying and doing and why we are doing those things. It helped me to know what signs to look for with a client that they may not understand what is going on like not asking questions because they are confused or maybe even intimidated, not finished their paperwork, or even just missing appointments and not taking their medicines.

Another thing I learned about was the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and their Triple Aim goals. I did not know this institute even existed before I listened to this lecture. Their Triple Aim includes improving the patient experience of care, improving the health of populations, and reducing the per capita cost of care. These are all very important things, so I am glad they are actively being worked on to improve them. Knowing that this exists will help me be a better OT in the future because I will have even more strategies to implement to ensure that my clients are getting the best care possible.