Health Literacy

Health care is important to each and every one of us, and the Chamber’s Health Care Council has been working hard to address different issues related to health care and our community.  A truly outstanding group of individuals, the work they’re doing is having a real impact on Middlesex County and I want to thank them for their enthusiasm and effort. The mission of the Middlesex County Health Care Council is to maintain a line of communication between the business and healthcare community. The council will identify opportunities for development and implementation of collaborative solutions that strive for an efficient, high quality and effective Health Care System making Middlesex County a 100% Access and Zero Health Disparities County. Through out the past several years, the council has created several exciting programs and initiatives with the help of many dedicated business and health care representatives. Under the leadership of Chairman Jim Cama, the council strives to bring the tough issues to the table for discussion. Again this year, the flu vaccination initiative was a great success, providing vaccines for over 500 people in and around Middlesex County. The council is currently working on a program focused on healthcare literacy, made possible with the support of Anthem, ConnectiCare, Middlesex Hospital and Pfizer. All of the partners in the program are in the process of exploring ways in which to promote this important project.  Throughout the past year members have reached out to over 4,000 people with this important message.  According to the Institute of Medicine, nearly half of all American adults have difficulty understanding and using health information. Low health literacy costs the health system billions of dollars each year. This is an astonishing figure and by helping each and everyone in our community better understand our health, we can help curb the cost of healthcare while at the same time improving the quality of healthcare. The council is continuing efforts to tackle the issue of health literacy by encouraging improved communication with doctors.  The relationship between a doctor and patient is an important one that should be based on trust and understanding.  When a complicated or serious diagnosis comes into play, emotions take a big part in the experience and sometimes crucial information is lost or not fully understood.   Some suggestions that the Health Care Council has made include doing research online, prepare yourself for a doctor’s visit by writing your questions on a piece of paper and bringing it with you, don’t hesitate to write down notes as you meet with your doctor so that you understand and remember important treatment instructions that are given, and ask questions!   The Chamber is part of the Ask Me 3 campaign, which encourages people to ask three simple questions while visiting their doctor:  What is my main problem?  What do I need to do?  And why is it important for me to do this?  A good doctor will respect their patient’s needs and will make certain that he or she fully understands their diagnosis or instructions before ending the visit.  Good communication between doctors and patients is important to successful health care. Members of the council have been distributing Ask Me 3 business cards in both English and Spanish and they are currently working to produce those informative cards in Italian and Polish.  They have started tracking the number of patients who have benefited from the initiative by receiving the business cards and have given over 3,500 within the past two months.  They are also creating a document that will be kept in doctors office waiting rooms about health literacy, as well as developing a patient advocate system within each office to help identify and work with individuals who struggle understanding their health care.   The council is also looking to bring in representation from municipal and state government and create a volunteer pool to include members of the Health Care Council to get out into the community to do presentations and events.   Many states have adopted October as Health Literacy Month, and the council is already hard at work trying to get Connecticut to do the same.  Because it’s such an important issue that can have an impact on any person, it is something we want to continue spreading awareness about.   With a focus on volunteerism and collaboration, the Health Care Council has made great strides in the past couple years and has some big plans ahead of them.  The members of this group are dedicated and hard working, and I am so pleased with the impact they have already made on Middlesex County. For more information on the Chamber’s Health Care Council, contact Paul Hughes at 860-347-6924 or by email at

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