Blogs

5 Fascinating Ideas I Learned at the IHA Health Literacy Conference — And How You Can Be Part of the Solution By: Michael Villaire , MSLM, Chair/CEO, I nstitute for Healthcare Advancement Wrapping up one of our annual IHA Health Literacy Conferences is always a special time for those of us at IHA. A lot of thoughts and feelings to sort through and contend with: Exhilaration . There is a palpable energy, even in the virtual ...

The Challenges of Today’s Health Literacy Work By: Diana Gonzalez, MPH, MCHES, EdD(c) Health literacy work has changed a lot since this conference began 25 years ago. It started with a focus on making health information clearer. Today, the work has expanded in ways we could not have predicted. Navigating a More Complex Information Environment Health information now comes from many different places , including community ...

From Advocate to Caregiver: My Reckoning with Plain Language By: Mary Jane Nirdlinger, AICP, ICMA-CM Last July, my son texted me at 3AM: the CT scan shows a mass in my head. I cried. I booked a ticket and signed off at work. I packed a carry-on and flew to Toronto where I would stay for the next three and a half months. Before I got on my plane, he and his girlfriend met with the head of Neurology. Clicking on the video she took while the surgeon talked was like opening the door to ...