Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast

Doris Zallen, PhD, is Professor Emerita of Science Studies and Humanities at Virginia Tech. Her research explores personal, family, and societal issues arising from advances in genetic testing and gene therapy. Zallen is the author of two books about genetic testing and is developing an online tool to help people make informed choices about testing. Zallen […] The post Genetic Testing; Conversation with a Researcher and Patient Advocate (HLOL #260) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Karel van der Waarde is an information designer based in Belgium. His projects often focus on medication information that is given to patients by doctors and pharmacists. Karel teaches about information design to audiences worldwide. He is active in many professional associations including the International Institute for Information Design (IIID). He also was part of […] The post Discussing Health Literacy with an Information Designer (HLOL #259) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Cheryl Lekousi is the Executive Director of the Hearts & Noses Hospital Clown Troup based in Needham, MA. In her work as a clown, Cheryl is referred to as “Tic Toc.” Building on anextensive background in special needs education and early child development, Cheryl now makes clown visits to pediatric hospital units, memory care facilities for […] The post Medical Clowns: A Dose of Joy for Patients of All Ages (HLOL #258) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Christopher Pizzute, MA, LCAT, MT-BC, is a music psychotherapist who works in inpatient and outpatient services at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City. His expertise extends to palliative, psychiatric, geriatric, pediatric, and neonatal care. Christopher is also a songwriter, artist, and video game advocate whose work now extends to exploring the benefit of […] The post Using Music to Support Patient Care (HLOL #257) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Today's episode is a re-airing of an important podcast first posted in 2009. It is my conversation with the husband-and-wife team of Cecelia (Cici) and Leonard (Len) Doak. The field of health literacy as we know it today builds on the strong foundation of research, practice, and advocacy that began with the Doaks. While both […] The post HLOL #256: Len & Ceci Doak Discuss Health Literacy's Past, Present and Future appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Adena Dacy, MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist. For many years, she worked with people of all ages who have communication disabilities. Dacy now is an Associate Director on the Health Care Services Team at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Her areas of interest include health literacy and access to quality care for people with speech, […] The post Communication Disabilities: Making Conversations Accessible to All (HLOL #255) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Viju Jacob, MD, FAAP is the Medical Director and Vice President of Medical Affairs at a large Federally Qualified Health Center in Bronx, NYC. His day-to-day work includes oversight of 12 school-based health practices, 2 family practice sites, and 6 school-based dental practices. Dr. Jacob also focuses on regulatory and policy aspects of school-based healthcare […] The post School-Based Health Centers: Health Literacy in Action (HLOL #254) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Ted Hartwell is Executive Director of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. The mission of this Council is to generate awareness, promote education, and advocate for quality treatment of problem gambling in the state of Nevada. Ted is in long-term recovery from his own gambling disorder and has been advocating on this issue for over 15 […] The post Gambling Disorders and Other Addictions (HLOL #253) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Cliff Coleman, MD, MPH, is a physician and international expert in the field of health literacy. His award-winning work focuses on improving health literacy and clear communication training for healthcare professionals through systems approaches, including curriculum design and evaluation. Coleman is Professor of Family Medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of […] The post Health Information Equity: Equal Access to Information that is High-Quality, Understandable, and Usable (HLOL #252) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Cynthia Baur, Ph.D., is the Endowed Chair and Director of the Horowitz Center for Health Literacy at the University of Maryland's School of Public Health. Baur is widely recognized as a health communication expert whose work focuses on improving health literacy at the individual, family, community, and organizational levels. Prior to this position, Cynthia Baur […] The post Putting Health Literacy Policy into Practice: How the Maryland Consumer Health Information Hub is Making This Happen (HLOL #251) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Joana Andoh, MD, is an ophthalmology resident at The Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Andoh has a long-standing passion for both the sciences and humanities. Her interests include social determinants of diabetic retinopathy, domestic violence-related ocular injuries, and geographic healthcare disparities. Dr. Andoh is passionate about using scientific and narrative writing […] The post Family Health History: The Value of Learning about Generational Health (HLOL #250) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Karen Foster is the Executive Director of All Out Adventures based in Massachusetts. Prior to being appointed as its Executive Director, Karen worked for this organization as a program leader. She has also been a 9th grade history teacher and school-based program administrator. Karen is certified to teach coastal kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding, and has experience leading many other outdoor recreation programs. Beyond all these […] The post Accessible Recreation for All (HLOL #249) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Molly Lynch, MPH, and Linda Squiers, PhD, both work within the Communication Practice Area at RTI International. Lynch has over 15 years of experience developing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs with a focus on health literacy. She now directs RTI's Audience Engagement Research Program. This includes using human-centered design principles to engage audiences in […] The post Developing Materials for Adults with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities and Extreme Low Literacy (HLOL #248) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Rohini Khillan, MPH, has been working in the field of public health policy for over a decade in both federal agencies and large nonprofit organizations. While her focus is primarily on issues of aging and disability, Rohini has worked on a variety of topics that include access to care and socioeconomic disparities. Much of her […] The post Start by Assuming Your Audience is Smart and Savvy (HLOL #247) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Cindy Brach was the lead for health literacy and cultural competence at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and co-chaired the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Literacy Workgroup. Brach led the creation of many important health literacy tools and resources including the AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, the discussion […] The post Cindy Brach Talks About the Evolution of Health Literacy (HLOL #246) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Aditya Tummala and Beier Nelson are Co-Founders and Executive Directors of The Health Fluency Project. Their goal is to use AI (Artificial Intelligence) and other technology to help dismantle barriers that prevent people from accessing health services. Tummala is an undergrad student at Harvard College studying Biomedical Engineering. His primary focus is on socioeconomic disparities that […] The post Innovative Ideas for Using AI in Health Literacy (HLOL #245) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Rear Admiral (RDML) Paul Reed, MD is the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a pediatrician, and a senior U.S. Public Health Service Officer. His primary responsibility is to advise the Assistant Secretary for Health on disease prevention and health promotion programs and policies. […] The post Health in Context of People's Lives (HLOL #244) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Akila Muthukumar graduated summa cum laude from Harvard College with a major in human developmental and regenerative biology and a minor in English. Muthukumar helped establish and lead a question-listing service at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. She also has done a lot of writing, including for the health and medicine website, STAT News. She […] The post Helping Patients Prepare Lists of Questions to Ask at Medical Appointments (HLOL #243) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Katie Leath MPH, MA, is Director of the Center for Health Literacy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Leath is a passionate health communicator who brings years of experience in making health information easy to read, understand, and use. She leads a team of health literacy experts who create and edit health-related […] The post Applying Plain Language Principles to Translated Health Materials (HLOL #242) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Richard Lui is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in media, technology, and business. He has served as a television news anchor at MSNBC, NBC News, and CNN Worldwide. Among his many accomplishments, Lui spent 15 years in business, serves on boards at non-profit organizations and for-profit firms, and is an ambassador for […] The post Creating a Documentary Film about Caregiving and Mental Health (HLOL #241) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Greg O'Neill, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, is Director of Patient & Family Health Education at ChristianaCare in Delaware. Building on his experience in patient care as a trauma/surgical ICU nurse, O'Neill has developed a team of professionals who champion health literacy best practices systemwide and support all manner of patient education initiatives and vendor relationships. In […] The post Health Literacy from a Systems Perspective (HLOL #240) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Dr. Mark V. Williams serves as Professor & Chief of the Division of Hospital Medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine and BJC HealthCare in Saint Louis, Missouri. Dr. Williams established the first hospitalist program in a U.S. public hospital and continues to promote the role of hospitalists as leaders in the delivery of […] The post Health Literacy: Helping Patients Feel Cared For, and Cared About (HLOL #239) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Claire Wardle, PhD, is co-founder and co-director of the Information Futures Lab and Professor of the Practice at Brown University’s School of Public Health. Wardle is considered a leader in the field of misinformation, verification, and user generated content. Among her many accomplishments, Wardle developed an organization-wide training program about eyewitness media for the British Broadcasting […] The post Artificial Intelligence & Health Communication (HLOL #238) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

LouAnn Bala MSN, RN, brings a background as clinical nurse educator and health coach to her work at Get Well. Her publications and research aim to improve quality and safety for patients, further the study of alternative and lifestyle medicine, and build the case for using technology to improve care delivery. Bala has created numerous […] The post The Language of Civility (HLOL #237) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D. is President of the National Center for Health Research, a nonprofit think tank that conducts and analyzes research on a wide range of healthcare and health policy issues. She and a team use this research to inform policies and programs that affect the health of adults and children. Among her many accomplishments, Diana […] The post Television Ads for Medications (HLOL #236) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Karen Komondor RN, BSN, CCRN is passionate about health literacy. This comes from knowing why understandable health communication matters so much to her, both personally and professionally. Karen is Founder and President of Health Literacy 360, LLC. Her work includes chairing health literacy programs at an urban teaching hospital, leading health literacy training sessions, and […] The post The Value of Knowing Why Health Literacy Matters (HLOL #235) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Christopher Booth MD, FRCPC, is a Medical Oncologist and Health Services Researcher at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada. In his clinical practice, Dr. Booth provides care to patients with gastrointestinal cancers. His research explores issues of access, quality, and value of cancer care in Canada, India, and other nations. Dr. Booth is a well-published author and […] The post Time Toxicity: Time that Patients Can Lose to Treatment (HLOL #234) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Maria Baimas-George, MD, MPH, not only is a transplant surgeon but also the author and illustrator of The Strength of My Scars, a series of children's books about a wide range of medical and surgical conditions. Dr. Baimas-George is passionate about the value of intertwining art and surgery to improve patient understanding, increase satisfaction, and […] The post Using Art to Communicate About Surgery (HLOL #233) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Nicole Liebau, BSW, is Director of the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) National Resource Center at the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, Inc. There are over 50 SMP projects across the United States that focus on issues of Medicare fraud, outreach, and education. In this podcast, Nicole Liebau talks with Helen Osborne about:  Fraud and […] The post Communicating About Potential Healthcare Fraud and Abuse (HLOL #232) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Elena T. Carbone, DrPH, RD/LDN, FAND is Professor of Nutrition and Associate Dean for Curriculum & Academic Oversight in the Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Carbone has over 25 years of experience in health education, health literacy, and nutrition communication. Her research engages multi-ethnic communities with low health literacy skills and integrates […] The post Words Matter: What We Say and Write Can Affect Health Understanding (HLOL #231) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Teresa Wagner DrPH, RD/LD, CHWI, has expertise in both wellness and health literacy. She is Assistant Professor in the School of Health Professions and in the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. She's also Interim Director/Clinical Executive for Health Literacy at SaferCare Texas, the state's patient safety institute. […] The post Wellness and Health Literacy (HLOL #230) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Alice Horowitz, RDH, MA, PhD, is a Research Professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health at University of Maryland's School of Public Health in College Park. She was instrumental in initiating the need to address health literacy in dentistry. Dr. Horowitz's ongoing advocacy, research, and teaching have helped professionals of all disciplines take […] The post Oral Health Literacy: How Diseases of the Mouth Affect Overall Health (HLOL #229) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Genevieve Walker, PhD, is a medical writer and editor who creates plain-language educational and marketing content for patients and other health care consumers. Through her business, Bridge Health Communications, Genevieve helps organizations strategize, develop, and execute communications with patients and the public. In this podcast, Genevieve Walker talks with Helen Osborne about: How lists are […] The post Bullet Points and Other Types of Lists (HLOL #228) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Kip Clark describes himself as being passionate about better and more meaningful communication. This belief guides his work as a standardized patient with medical students and as a podcast host and producer. Clark came to working as a standardized patient work from a background in improv comedy. He is a graduate of Kenyon College with […] The post A Standardized Patient's Perspective of Health Communication (HLOL #227) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Lenora Johnson, DrPH, MPH directs the science policy, engagement, health education, and public-facing communication initiatives of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institute of Health (NIH). This office supports and coordinates the public facing messaging and information delivery channels on behalf of NHLBI. One of the many projects Dr. Johnson works with […] The post Building Trust with Each Audience (HLOL #226) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Tedi Brash and Melissa Yan are based in Toronto, Canada. They, along with Rashmi Bhide, are authors of the terrific how-to resource, “A Guide to Developing Live Virtual Group Patient Education: Nine Steps to Success.”   Brash is a Patient and Family Education Specialist at Unity Health Toronto. She works with clinical teams, patients, and families to […] The post Live Virtual Group Patient Education: Creating Content, Delivering Sessions, and Meeting Needs (HLOL #225) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Christine Wilson has focused on health communication throughout her career. Her experience includes being Vice President for Marketing and Communications at Fox Chase Cancer, Vice President for Communications at the American Association for Cancer Research, and now Vice President for Advocacy Communications at the National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF). Wilson brings in the patient's voice […] The post Health Communication in Context of Each Person's Life (HLOL #224) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Parul Bhargava, MD is Professor & Vice-Chair of Laboratory Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She is a pathologist with subspecialty training in hematology. Dr. Bhargava describes herself as passionate about medical education and has authored or edited numerous academic publications. In this podcast, Dr. Bhargava talks with Helen Osborne about: Diagnostic […] The post Blood Testing: What Is Learned in the Lab (HLOL #223) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Dr. Emily Tonorezos is Director of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Office of Cancer Survivorship which is part of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences. Dr. Tonorezos leads NCI's efforts to address challenges facing cancer survivors and their families. These efforts include preventing or mitigating adverse effects and improving the health and well-being […] The post Survivors? Choosing Words about People Who Have, or Have Had, a Serious Illness (HLOL #222) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Joe Weisse is co-coordinator for the Low Vision Support Group of Natick for the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Now retired, for 33 years Weisse was Public Information Officer for the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. Using his communications background, Weisse is a longtime Amateur (ham) Radio operator making contacts with stations […] The post Communicating When Vision is a Concern (HLOL #221) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Laura A. Saunders, MSSW is a social worker with expertise in Motivational interviewing (MI). She works with University of Wisconsin-Madison at the Great Lakes Addictions, Mental Health, and Prevention Technology Transfer Centers. Saunders leads motivational interviewing workshops for professionals in many fields including health care, education, human services, public health, and criminal justice. She is an […] The post Motivational Interviewing (HLOL #220) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Paula Worby (pictured on the right) and Miriam Lara-Mejia both work at Hesperian Health Guides, a non-profit publisher best known for the book Where There Is No Doctor that is used throughout the world. Hesperian has more than a dozen books on a broad range of health topics and makes almost all of that content available […] The post Making Materials Relatable and Readable (HLOL #219) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Elena T. Carbone, DrPH, RD/LDN, FAND is Professor of Nutrition and Associate Dean for Curriculum & Academic Oversight in the Honors College at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Carbone has over 25 years of experience in health education, health literacy, and nutrition communication. Her research engages multi-ethnic communities with low health literacy skills and integrates […] The post Words Matter: What We Say and Write Can Affect Health Understanding (HLOL #231) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Professor Jason Last, MD, is University Dean of Students at University College Dublin in Ireland. Building on his experience as a practicing physician, Last has led and participated in many graduate medical education initiatives and programs. This includes work in patient education and advocacy. In this podcast, Professor Last talks with Helen Osborne about: The […] The post Patients as partners in medical education, practice, and governance (HLOL #218) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Aisha Langford, PhD, MPH is an assistant professor of population health at NYU Langone Health. Her research interests include health communication and medical decision-making in certain chronic health conditions. Prior to working in academic research, Langford held professional roles in public relations, adult literacy, and community outreach. She is an active member of several professional societies and serves […] The post Publishing and Sharing Health Literacy Research and Experiences (HLOL #217) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Maureen Maurer brings a strong background in health behavior and health education. Her work focuses on engaging patients, families, and community members in health research, health care delivery, and health policy. Maurer, a principal researcher at the American Institutes for Research, directs a research support project for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) called the […] The post Plain Language Summaries of Research Studies (HLOL #216) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Joi R. Canton MSN, RN, NPD-BC is a nurse and Manager of Community Outreach in Boca Raton, Florida. In addition to many years in clinical practice, Canton brings experience as a clinical educator, clinical instructor, nurse leader, and preceptor/mentor for novice nurses. In this podcast, Joi Canton talks with Helen Osborne about: Why it can […] The post New Clinicians & Health Literacy: Putting Classroom Learning into Everyday Practice (HLOL #215) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Jaime Collins describes herself as a passionately curious woman with a deep love of humanity. Collins says that it was through a life-long journey of self-discovery that she learned and unlearned the societal dictates that for years had kept her imprisoned in a gender that wasn't hers. Eventually Collins learned to love and accept herself […] The post Biologic Sex, Gender Identity and Expression, and Other Issues to Consider When Communicating About Health appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Paul Han, MD, MA, MPH is Senior Scientist in the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences and Adjunct Investigator in the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Han's research focuses on understanding and improving the communication and management of uncertainty in health care. His clinical background is in […] The post Uncertainty: What It Is and Ways to Help (HLOL #213) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

Liz Persaud is the Program and Outreach Manager for Tools for Life, Georgia's Assistive Technology Act Program at the Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI) within the College of Design at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a nationally recognized public speaker and advocate addressing the need to build bridges and solidify gaps […] The post Making Health Information Accessible to People with Disabilities (HLOL #212) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.

This is a simple notice for podcast subscribers to let them know that there is a small chance that there could be issues with the feed as we make a transition to a new web server (and a spiffy new website design!). If you don’t see a June 1st episode, search for Health Literacy Out […]