Report
Note: Workshop Summaries contain the opinion of the presenters, but do NOT reflect the conclusions of the IOM. Learn more about the differences between Workshop Summaries and Consensus Reports.
Medications are an important component of health care, but each year their misuse results in over a million adverse drug events that lead to office and emergency room visits as well as hospitalizations and, in some cases, death. As a patient's most tangible source of information about what drug has been prescribed and how that drug is to be taken, the label on a container of prescription medication is a crucial line of defense against such medication safety problems, yet almost half of all patients misunderstand label instructions about how to take their medicines. Standardizing Medication Labels: Confusing Patients Less is the summary of a workshop, held in Washington, D.C. on October 12, 2007, that was organized to examine what is known about how medication container labeling affects patient safety and to discuss approaches to addressing identified problems.
Other Reports by this Activity
Displaying: 3 of 7 Reports
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Improving Health Literacy Within a State - Workshop Summary
Nearly half of all American adults lack health literacy – an individual’s ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information. In order to improve knowledge among these 90 million people, the IOM, along with the UCLA Anderson School of Management, held a workshop on November 30, 2010, to explore ways in which state-based organizations and individuals can work to improve health literacy.
Released: November 14, 2011
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Promoting Health Literacy to Encourage Prevention and Wellness - Workshop Summary
Several studies have found that health literacy – an individual’s ability to understand and retain information to make proper health decisions – makes a difference in how much populations use preventive services. The IOM’s Roundtable on Health Literacy held a workshop to explore approaches to integrate health literacy in to primary and secondary prevention. The workshop featured presentations and discussions on select topics related to health literacy’s role in preventive health care.
Released: November 1, 2011
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Health Literacy Implications for Health Care Reform - Workshop Summary
Due to low health literacy—the degree to which one can understand and make decisions based on health information—many people may have difficulty understanding what coverage they are eligible for under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; making informed choices about what is best for them and their families; and completing the enrollment process. On November 10, 2010, the IOM Roundtable on Health Literacy held a workshop to explore opportunities to advance health literacy in association with the implementation of health care reform.
Released: July 15, 2011
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