Patients don’t know what they don’t know
You’ve likely heard the saying, ‘You don’t know what you don’t know.’
In other words, if you’re unaware of certain information, you don’t even realize that you need it. This idea comes to mind when I think about the concepts of health literacy and health equity.
Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services so one can make informed health decisions.
Health equity is influenced by social determinants such as socioeconomic status, education, environment, and access to care.
Many patients don’t know about resources available to them, nor do they have literacy to understand the impact they have on their health outcomes.
Therefore, many patients are attempting to manage their own health in a world where they don’t know what they don’t know.
Enter community health workers!
CHWs educate patients on the healthcare resources available in their community by identifying gaps in knowledge and providing critical information that patients don’t even realize they need.
What better place to provide this navigation than the pharmacy?
Our team recently partnered with CPESN Heath Equity to spread the word about CHWs at the NCPA Annual Meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
← Our Business Development Team – Marlene Heeg and Kathy Schott
And, through the generous support of McKesson, pharmacy technician scholarships are available for CEimpact’s January CHW cohort. You can apply before December 15th.
Together, we can work towards a more equitable healthcare system, ensuring that everyone has the information and resources they need to make informed health decisions.
Are you a CHW or have one working at your pharmacy? I’d love to hear your most impactful story. Reply back to tell me about it!
As always, have a great week and keep learning!
