HSLIC News

Wise Health Care Consumer Month

      Did you know that February is National Wise Health Care Consumer Month?                   

What is National Wise Health Care Consumer Month?  National Wise Health Care Consumer Month is a month dedicated to raising awareness and educating the public about how to make wise choices regarding their health care and become a better-informed consumer.  The American Institute for Preventive Medicine established this national observance because they realized that the American public struggles to make informed decisions about their health care.

The American Institute for Preventive Medicine recommends that consumers know the following when making health care decisions https://healthylife.com/wise/Wise_Health_Care_Consumer.pdf

•  Know how to choose a health care plan
•  Choose their care providers carefully and thoughtfully 
• Communicate with their health care providers
• Are comfortable asking questions, sharing concerns and negotiating costs   
• Analyze and evaluate sources of health information
• Practice preventive care 
• Know when to treat themselves at home  
• Understand their prescriptions and take them as directed 

Health literacy is an aspect of wise health care.  The Health Sciences Library & Informatics Center offers Health Literacy workshops to interested faculty, students and HSC staff.  Our next workshop will take place on April 3, 2024.  If you are interested in attending this workshop, you can register at the link listed below.

 HSLIC Health Literacy Workshop, Health Literacy: Plain Language, Teach-Back and More, April 3, 2024, noon until 1:00 pm   https://goto.unm.edu/hslicevents