Ten Suggested Health Literacy Attributes of a Health Care Organization

The health care system in the United States is becoming increasingly complex, placing greater demands on consumers to be more proactive and informed about their care. However, 88% of the population is unable to successfully navigate the health care system due to low levels of health literacy. Health care organizations can play a role in improving health literacy. The “Ten Attributes of the Health Literate Health Care Organizations” produced by members of the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Health Literacy provides guidance.