The team at GoodRx Health is dedicated to making healthcare more accessible and affordable. We know that health literacy is a social determinant of health, so we're always looking for ways to make healthcare content more actionable and transparent for everyday Americans. IHA's program offers a wealth of creative inspiration and practical tools to support those goals. There's no doubt we're stronger, more effective advocates for high-quality healthcare information and services.”— Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, Clinical Updates & Health Literacy Editor, GoodRx
My team has a wealth of formal education and experiential knowledge. Before enrolling in this program we had more than 30 years of combined experience with health literacy in the public health and healthcare setting. That said, this program provided us with an organized library of resources, content for discussion about continued improvement, and ideas for staff development. The curriculum challenged us to further improve the quality of our work and to strive to further the value of health literacy within our organization."— Kayla Sargent, Program Manager, MaineHealth
Staff at the Salt Lake County Health Department learned health literacy skills and concepts to help them better serve community members and work with partners to develop health communication that is individualized, understandable, and usable for diverse audiences."— Anni McKinnon, Health Literacy Program Manager, Salt Lake County Department of Health
If you represent a healthcare organization, drug companies, or medical device manufacturer that is using unnecessarily complicated documents or have complex organizational procedures these may affect a patient’s ability to understand and make an informed decision. The good news is that you can embrace health literacy, to not only improve patient outcomes, but help reduce your organizational risk. Health literacy integration will help protect healthcare organizations from patient complaints stemming from misinformation, or misinterpretation that can lead to negative hospital reviews, poor accreditation ratings, and even lawsuits. "— Christopher R. Trudeau, JD (he/him) Associate Professor of Law, University of Detroit Mercy Law School
Highmark Health - a national blended health organization – has both a health system and health plan. We’re passionate about simplicity and removing barriers to care. To that end, over 20 marketing team members have completed the IHA Health Literacy Specialist Certificate program, and many more are in the queue. It’s opened our eyes to health literacy challenges that our customers face. We’ve been able to immediately apply it to our creative and strategic marketing work."— Cindy Donohoe EVP, Chief Marketing Officer Highmark Health
IHA’s HLSCP provides for greater dissemination of best practices to improve the understanding and fundamental requirements nurses need for patients and their caregivers to understand their healthcare instructions. Every hospital should require all nursing staff to complete the Certificate Program during onboarding and all schools of nursing should include it in every level of curriculum taught. Both of these initiatives will greatly reduce the disparities and high costs associated with the many challenges that prevent patients from improving their health due to a lack of understanding about how to care for themselves, properly administer medications, and strive for wellness."—Joy P. Deupree, PhD, MSN, CRNP, WHNP-BC, FAANDirector of Health Policy Partnerships | Office of Clinical and Global PartnershipsProfessor, Department of Acute, Chronic & Continuing Care UAB School of Nursing The University of Alabama at Birmingham
“As an entrepreneur focused on public health equity, my work involves health literacy. Yet many professional resources didn’t satisfy my quest for health literacy knowledge and skills. IHA’s program has added value and enabled me to integrate the two disciplines of public health and health equity, as they contribute to the social determinants of health (SDoH). And I now have recognition as a subject matter expert in health literacy among my peers.“ — Sharon S. Williamson, DrPH, MPH, CHES, CRS-AD, CPHA Public Health and Health Equity Subject Matter Expert
I appreciate the chance to revisit themes while looking at new topics. I also appreciate the emphasis on Teach-Back in each credential because that is really what you aim to do to assess successes and shortcomings. It’s refreshing to step back from daily tasks and take the time to be reflective about how we emphasize health literacy and where we need to expand its emphasis.”— Sarah Mason, Environmental Health Educator, Lincoln Lancaster County Public Health Dept
I genuinely enjoyed taking these courses and they helped me better understand how to prepare patient education materials that are efficient and meet the needs of the population."— Maria Moore, Nurse Manager, US Dept of Veteran Affairs
IHA’s program provided the knowledge needed to present “Improving Health Literacy in the Refugee Population” for my CHW certificate. Here I shared that health literacy is about how health information is communicated, and about creating awareness for people to have the confidence, support, and resources to manage their health. It is being clear about the role of health services and providers in giving health information in an understandable language and that it is not taboo to ask questions.”— Mardo Tarr, Community Health Worker, Salt Lake County Health Department, UT
When our legal department recently questioned my plain-language edits to a consent document, I was able to cite best practices I had gleaned through the IHA Health Literacy Specialist program. The lawyers were quite receptive when I explained the reasons for my edits. Our patients and families will be the ultimate beneficiaries."— Elizabeth Walker
IHA's Health Literacy Specialist Certificate Program is a great program for those who work in health care. The program guides an individual on how to explain and educate those who may have low health literacy, or it just simply gives many different ideas on how to educate the public."— Jolene Gydesen
The courses are a great way to learn and re-learn important health literacy concepts. I like that it has a summary of points and references for additional reading in every course. I would recommend this to anyone in the health literacy field."— Sophia Wong
I've enjoyed working through the online health literacy certificate program. I can complete the microcredentials at my own pace and can apply what I learn to my daily work. The information is valuable, relevant and important to the provision of high quality patient care."— Jill Tarabula
The Certificate Program has given me an excellent foundation in so many areas of health literacy. I feel like my health literacy knowledge is so much more well-rounded from this program. Even after completing just 1 micro-credential, I've been able to utilize what I've learned at work."— Emma Kouguell
This program definately expanded my knowledge of health literacy and it was great how I could fit it into my own schedule with it being online. I will directly apply what I learned to my clinical practise as a nurse."— Lori Leaf
This is a great certificate program for all, whether you are experienced or new to the field. Lots of great action items and the different modalities in each module make learning fun and interactive."— Bonnie Carleton
This was a thorough training that touched on a wide range of topics. Even though I don't work directly with patients or community members, a lot of the information was still helpful for applying in our behind the scenes health education work and to improve our organizational health literacy. The training was also fairly engaging and easy to work through on my own time."— Emma Gossard
The Certificate Program provided immensely helpful information and tools for a health educator/disease intervention specialist in a local health department. I feel more prepared and confident to implement patient and public communications."— Taylor Gregory
I appreciate the format and the length of each lesson. They are easy to follow, offer solid information that is supported by research and follow the principles of plain language and health literacy."— Lauri DeRuiter-Willems
This certificate was a great refresher of health literacy concepts that I had learned in passing throughout my career as a health educator. Still, it provided extensive background so I could clearly understand and apply these concepts. It also offered relevant examples and new guidance that have allowed me to do my work as a health educator/communicator with a new sense of awareness and commitment to health equity. I would recommend this certification to anyone wanting to hone in their skills and knowledge in the health literacy world."— Sergio Enciso Garcia
This program is extremely helpful to help organizations to create educational materials at an appropriate health literacy level for Community Health Workers (CHWs) and the members of the communities they serve. I think this program would be helpful for creating any type of community health educational materials."— Porsche Fischer