How did Dr. Katz treat his patient differently after learning that he was illiterate?

Question

"Healthcare in the United States, assumes that you're literate. I learned that a patient of mine who spoke English without access was illiterate when he asked me to please sign a social security disability form for him right away, the form needed to go to the office that same day, and I wasn't in clinic trying to help him out, knowing that he was the sole caretaker of his son, I said, Well, bring the form to my administrative office. I'll sign in and I'll fax it into you. He took the two busses to my office, dropped off the form, went back home to take care of his son. I got to the office, and what did I find next to the big X on the form, the word applicant,
he needed to sign the form,
and so now I had to have him take the two busses back to the office, sign the form, so that we could then fax it in for him, completely changed how I took care of him. I made sure that I always went over instructions verbally with him. It also made me think about all of the patients who received reams and reams of paper sent out by our modern electronic health record systems explaining their diagnoses, their treatments, and wondering how many people actually can understand what's on those pieces of paper."

Answer 1

After learning that his patient was illiterate, Dr. Katz changed his approach to ensure better communication and support for the patient's needs. Understanding the patient's literacy challenges, he shifted from assuming the patient could understand written instructions to providing information verbally. He emphasized verbally explaining instructions rather than relying on written materials, recognizing that traditional healthcare communication methods often do not take into account patients' literacy levels. This experience also prompted him to reflect on the broader implications for other patients who might struggle with the written information regarding their health, suggesting a need for more accessible healthcare communication strategies. Overall, Dr. Katz's treatment became more personalized and aware of the barriers his patient faced, ensuring that he received the necessary support to navigate the healthcare system.