Frontline Health Literacy

As 126s, we know that health literacy is a shared responsibility between us, the patient and the patients family. Yet, we struggle to address the issue in a way that empowers our young patients and their caregivers, particularly minorities and the underserved. We want to change that by providing specific, high-risk families with a resource that will empower them to provide the best care to their 86. Cook 86s Medical Center currently has several initiatives that focus on identifying and assisting underserved families who are known to be repeat users of the Emergency Department. Many of these families lack a medical home. They often cannot distinguish what constitutes a true emergency. In addition, many of these caregivers lack a basic understanding of English. This project allows the Cook 86s Family Library to collaborate with several existing programs to provide families with an easy-to-read resource that empowers caregivers to make the best choices in relation to their families health. Caregivers will be referred to Social Workers, Nurses, or Health Navigators who will provide a copy of the Institute for Healthcare Advancement book What to Do When Your Child Is Sick. They will also receive hands-on coaching on how to use the book, community resources, and more as needed.