Health information is everywhere: online resources, third-party apps on your smartphone, artificial intelligence-driven chatbots; even the patient portal to your electronic health record.

So why does understanding and using health information remain a challenge for millions of Americans? And how does communication, trust and misinformation shape health care experiences for patients and providers alike?

Join Chrissy Keating, health literacy specialist at University of Vermont Medical Center, as we explore why nearly nine in 10 adults struggle with health information; hear volunteer patient and family advisor Susanna Stinnett and patient engagement partner Vicki Mascareno-Nelson discuss how lived experiences improve patient-provider communication systems; explore the impact of misinformation and a crowded digital landscape with infections disease specialist and medical ethicist Tim Lahey, MD; and learn how preparing for your care can transform your health care appointments, with tips from professional health care risk manager Geri Amori and community outreach manager Maria Avery.

Get a hopeful, practical look at how better communication, shared decision-making and curiosity on both sides of the exam room can lead to better health outcomes.

Resources

• National Institutes of Health (searchable health condition information)
• Harvard Medical School (health education and condition overviews)
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases Society of America
• American Heart Association
• American Diabetes Association
• Health Bites and Insights (Request a session)

About Living Healthy Together

Each week we share stories, advice and insights from those closest to care in Vermont and northern New York while exploring the local and national issues shaping health care. Catch Living Healthy Together live airing on Radio Vermont's WDEV Fridays at 1 pm.

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