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By Scott Culver
Communications Specialist
WEA Trust
May 2004
The WEA Trust understands the importance of equipping its members with tools not only to make good decisions about their health care but also to lead healthier lives. That’s why we offer programs and resources designed to help our members maintain – and improve – their health. These tools encourage members to play a more active role in their own health care. Research shows that patients who are involved in their health care decisions get better care and make better use of their health care dollar because they get the right care, at the right time, and in the right place. At the Trust, we: • Provide resources that help our members access the health care system efficiently, such as a call-a-nurse service, an online Medical Guide on our Web site (weatrust.com), and a member health newsletter. • Offer a program that helps members plan for a healthy pregnancy and baby. • Provide a personalized program to help members quit smoking. • Offer flu vaccinations each fall to school districts that have our health plan. • Offer a health assessment – available at weatrust.com each January – that gives eligible members personalized feedback on their health. • Assist members with chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease, with managing their conditions. For more information on programs available through the Trust, visit weatrust.com and click on “Health & Wellness.” |
Do you ever leave your doctor’s office more confused than you were going in?
If so, you’re not alone. According to a new Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, nearly half of all American adults – 90 million people – have trouble understanding and using health information.
Why do so many people have trouble understanding this information? Most medical information is not presented in understandable language. Poor health literacy has been linked to poor outcomes, higher costs, and greater likelihood of medical errors.
By some estimates, poor health literacy costs the U.S. health care system more than $58 billion per year, including more preventable hospital stays and unnecessary emergency room visits.
The good news
This awareness about the need for health literacy will hopefully prompt
all health care providers and health care organizations to improve their
communications with patients. At the WEA Trust, we strive to ensure
our publications and information about our plans are clear and easy
to understand.
The Partnership for Clear Health Communication is one resource for patients, providers, and health care organizations. A coalition of national organizations, the partnership encourages consumers to ask three questions each time they talk with a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist:
The coalition is working to support awareness and find solutions to low health literacy.
More tips are available at the partnership’s Web site, askme3.org.
Save on complementary and alternative medicine
Trust health plan members now have access to a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) discount program. This program is not an insurance plan, but rather a Trust-sponsored discount network allowing members to save money on services not covered by their health plan.
The Trust is making a CAM discount network available in response to our members expressing interest in both conventional and nonconventional answers to their health care needs.
CAM practices (such as acupuncture, massage, holistic therapies, yoga, and tai chi) recognize that the connection between mind and body is important to the healing process. These therapies teach people techniques to help manage pain and reduce stress, allowing people to take a more active role in their health care.
The CAM discount network features discounts of up to 30% on a variety of complementary and alternative procedures such as massage, holistic therapies, and acupuncture. Plus, members can save on health and wellness services such as fitness centers, personal trainers, yoga and tai chi classes, nutritional counseling, and vitamins.
For more information, visit weatrust.com, click on “Health Plan,” and go to “Discount Networks.”
Posted May 12, 2004