Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast

By Helen OsborneScience Medicine Health & Fitness Education Life Sciences

Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast episodes

October 01 Health Literacy Then & Now: Conversation with Dr. Linda Ciavarelli about the Foundational Work of the Doaks (HLOL #276)
In this episode, I’m trying something a little different–conversations with a health literacy advocate, innovator, or leader about policies, research, and strategies that helped shaped health literacy practice. We’ll discuss what worked then, what works now, and most importantly, where we think health literacy might go next. A good way to start is by focusing on a HLOL episode from a while ago.
Today’s guest is Dr. Linda Ciavarelli who I recently interviewed for a HLOL podcast about immersive technology and virtual reality for patient education. Linda’s clinical background is in primary podiatric care. She now is co-founder of HouseCall VR, an innovative startup dedicated to creating virtual reality for patient education. Together, we reflect on the HLOL interview I did years ago with Ceci (Cecelia) and Len (Leonard) Doak. They are a husband-and-wife team whose work was widely considered then, and for many of us still is, foundational to health literacy. Listen as Linda and I discuss many aspects health communication, patient education, and health literacy.
For those of you who have been doing this work a while, this conversation is a way to honor our heroes. For those who are newer to health literacy, we hope that our conversation will inspire you to find effective and timely ways to communicate about health. And to all, please let me know what you think of this new approach to discussing health literacy. I also invite your suggestions for guests to talk with me about the past, present, and future of health literacy. Thanks!
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Health Literacy Then & Now: Conversation with Dr. Linda Ciavarelli about the Foundational Work of the Doaks (HLOL #276) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
25 min
September 01Intersection of Quality Improvement and Health Literacy (HLOL #275)
Rex Wallace is Founder and CEO of Rex Wallace Consulting, a firm that helps health plans improve quality. A key way they accomplish this is by helping organizations improve the experiences of their members.
Jennifer Nguyen is a Quality Improvement Consultant with Rex Wallace Consulting. Building on her background in public health and health education, Jennifer approaches quality as a genuine lever for health equity and health outcomes.
Rex, Jennifer, and Helen talk about how quality improvement and health literacy intersect in many important ways. Highlights include:
Quality Improvement and Star Ratings. What these terms mean, how and why they are used as measurement tools.
Examples of how quality measurements can benefit insurance companies, regulatory agencies, healthcare facilities, and patients.
Ways to make a compelling case that quality and health literacy together are essential to all we do when it comes to health outcomes and equity.
More ways to learn:
Rex Wallace Consulting
Beyond Quality S1E4: Health Literacy As A Quality Strategy. Listen and watch as Rex Wallace, Jennifer Nguyen, and Helen Osborne make clear that health literacy is not a soft skill but rather a quality infrastructure issue.
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Health Equity in the Context of Health Literacy” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Intersection of Quality Improvement and Health Literacy (HLOL #275) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
26 min
August 01Immersive Technology and Virtual Reality for Patient Education (HLOL #274)
Dr. Linda Ciavarelli is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) and board-certified specialist in Primary Podiatric Care. With over 20 years of clinical experience, Linda honed her expertise in preventative, orthopedic, and dermatologic podiatric medicine. In addition to her clinical background, Linda is the co-founder of HouseCall VR, an innovative startup dedicated to creating virtual reality patient education. This company aims to improve health literacy and outcomes using immersive technology.
Linda has presented at numerous state, national, and global conferences, scientific meetings, and symposia on topics such as Patient Education Using Immersive Technology, Immersive Technology in Healthcare, and Developing Impact-Driven Innovation in XR. She also is active in her community and professional organizations.
Listen as Linda Ciavarelli and Helen Osborne talk about:
Immersive technology. What this technology is and its many formats including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality.
Virtual reality as a tool for patient education. How this differs from, yet in many ways is similar to, other forms of patient education.
Innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit to try something new when it comes to health communication.
More ways to learn:
HouseCallVR: VR Patient Education
HouseCall VR Product Demo
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapters “Technology: E-Health,” “Technology: Online Teaching and Video Games,” and X-tras” are especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Immersive Technology and Virtual Reality for Patient Education (HLOL #274) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
29 min
July 01Communicating About Incidental Findings and Other Uncertain Conditions (HLOL #273)
Matthew Davenport MD MBA is Professor of Radiology and Urology, Service Chief, and Executive Vice Chair in the Department of Radiology at Michigan Medicine. He also is Co-Director of the Weiser Center for Prostate Cancer. Dr. Davenport is a co-author on national policy statements and has published over 250 peer-reviewed manuscripts. He is frequently interviewed regarding important issues in radiology including in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, NBC and ABC news, and prominent national magazines.
Listen as Matthew Davenport and Helen Osborne discuss:
Incidental findings and uncertain conditions. What these terms mean, why they occur, how often they happen.
Benefits, harms, and examples of how incidental findings may lead to a cascade of care.
Patient-centered communication. Helping patients better understand the implications of such findings and work to take control of their health.
More Ways to Learn:
“Incidental Findings and Low-Value Care,” by Matthew S. Davenport, American Journal of Roentgenology, January 11, 2023.
“Potential Frameworks for Communicating Diagnostic Certainty in Radiology Reports: From the ACR Commission on Quality and Safety,” by multiple authors, JACR, November 2025.
“Elective MRI Screening of the General Public—Buyer Beware”, by Matthew S. Davenport and Scott B. Reeder, JAMA, May 6, 2026.
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Decisions About Treatment, End-of-Life Choices, and Whether to Participate in Clinical Trials” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Communicating About Incidental Findings and Other Uncertain Conditions (HLOL #273) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
25 min
June 01Code Status: Clearly Communicating the Nuances of Emergency Care Options (HLOL #272)
Jason Kirchick MPH, MSN, RN, CNL, MEDSURG-BC is an inpatient Hematology and Oncology nurse at the University of Vermont Medical Center where he cares for patients with blood cancers and solid tumors at every stage of illness. Before nursing, Jason worked as a firefighter and EMT, a background that gave him an intimate understanding of life-threatening emergencies. Jason holds a Master of Public Health, a Master of Science in Nursing, and is completing training as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. As a trained death doula, Jason is deeply committed to patient and family-centered care. This commitment is shaped by his own experience surviving septic shock and multi-organ failure which left him in a medically induced coma for two months and ultimately drew him into nursing.
Listen as Jason Kirchick and Helen Osborne discuss:
Code Status. A patient’s preferences for emergency medical care if their heart or breathing stops.
Nuances of code status options and why it is important to “lift the veil” about what these options really are like.
Factors that can affect understanding of these options including health literacy, emotions, and expectations as portrayed in popular media.
Strategies and recommendations to help patients and their families more clearly understand their code status options.
More ways to Learn:
VitalTalk. Trains clinicians in evidence-based communication skills for serious illness conversations, including goals of care and code status. Their free mobile Tips App provides quick reference guides that clinicians can pull up in real time before entering a difficult conversation. Their one-page Quick Guides cover specific scenarios and are ideal for printing and sharing on a unit.
AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit, 3rd Edition This free, publicly available toolkit from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality contains 23 practical tools designed for busy healthcare settings. It covers strategies like teach-back, simplifying written materials, and making care transitions easier to understand. The toolkit is built on the principle that clear communication should be the default for every patient, not just those identified as having low literacy.
AMA Journal of Ethics: Discussing Code Status with Patients and Their Families This case-based article from the American Medical Association walks through a realistic scenario in which a code status conversation goes poorly and explores what could be done differently. It remains one of the most accessible introductions to the complexity of these conversations and is a worthwhile read for clinicians at any level of experience.
ELNEC (End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium) National and international education initiative developed by City of Hope and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The curriculum covers communication, pain and symptom management, ethical issues, and care at the end of life. ELNEC Academy online modules are available and are appropriate for both practicing nurses and students looking to build confidence in palliative and end-of-life care.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande (Metropolitan Books, 2014) Gawande, a surgeon, examines how medicine often fails patients at the end of life by prioritizing treatment over quality of life. The book challenges clinicians and families alike to ask better questions about what matters most. It remains one of the most widely read and influential books on aging, dying, and the limits of modern medicine.
When a Loved One Is Dying: Conversations About Care, Connection, and Coping by Maureen Groden, RN (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2026) Written by a hospice nurse and educator with over 30 years of experience, this book uses real patient and family stories to walk readers through the emotional and practical realities of end-of-life care. Groden clarifies the differences between palliative and hospice care, addresses common fears and misconceptions, and offers concrete guidance for families facing serious illness.
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Decisions About Treatment, End-of-Life Choices, or Whether to Participate in Clinical Trials”” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Code Status: Clearly Communicating the Nuances of Emergency Care Options (HLOL #272) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
26 min
May 01Health Literacy and AI (HLOL #271)
Christopher R. Trudeau is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Chris builds upon his extensive background in health literacy, plain-language communication, and healthcare regulation to now explore how generative AI tools like ChatGPT Health are reshaping how people understand and act on health information. While well-aware of potential risks and benefits of this technology, Chris is looking for ways that AI can support human decision-making rather than replace it. Chris shares that work publicly at Trudeau.ai.
Listen as Chris Trudeau and Helen Osborne discuss:
AI (Artificial Intelligence) and AI Health. What these technologies are, how they have evolved in recent years.
Benefits (actual, and potential) of such technology.
Risks (actual, and potential) of such technology.
What those of us who care about health literacy can do now when it comes to AI and AI Health.
More Ways to Learn:
Trudeau.ai
“AI Literacy Is Becoming a Health Equity Issue: What Economist Impact’s New Roadmap Reveals,” by Christopher Trudeau, posted on January 17, 2026
“ChatGPT Health: Why Health Literacy Now Requires AI Literacy,” by Christopher Trudeau posted on January 8, 2026
Lawyers Can Help with Health Literacy, Too. HLOL podcast interview with Christopher Trudeau
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Technology E-health” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
The post Health Literacy and AI (HLOL #271) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
27 min
April 01Talking with Patients about Bad News (HLOL #270)
Jennifer Harvey MD, FACR is Professor and Chair of Imaging Sciences at the University of Rochester in New York. Prior to this, she was Professor of Radiology at the University of Virginia Health System where she led the division of Breast Imaging and the Breast Care Program. Dr. Harvey served as the breast imaging section head for the American Institute of Radiologic Pathology and continues as faculty. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Harvey is a well-published researcher, lecturer, and journal editor. Her book, Making the Diagnosis: A Practical Approach to Breast Imaging, has been translated into 4 languages.
Listen as Dr. Harvey talks with Helen Osborne about:
The role of radiologists in breast care.
Talking with patients about bad news. This might happen in-person, by phone, or in advance of patients seeing their results on a portal.
Strategies for making bad news easier for patients to hear and physicians to discuss.
More Ways to Learn:
Making the Diagnosis: A Practical Approach to Breast Imaging, by Jennifer Harvey and David E March, published by Saunders.
· “Breaking Bad News: A Primer for Radiologists in Breast Imaging.” Harvey, Jennifer A. et al. Journal of the American College of Radiology, Volume 4, Issue 11, 800 – 808
“New Protocol Helps Radiologists Navigate Difficult Conversations: Framework offers seven-stop approach to delivering sensitive results with clarity and compassion,” by Melissa Silverberg, RSNA, Dec 05, 2025.
Dense Breast-info.org
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “You: Compassion, Empathy, and Humanity” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Talking with Patients about Bad News (HLOL #270) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
21 min
March 01Neonatal Teaching: Health Literacy Lessons for Us All (HLOL #269)
Samantha Sobie DNP, APRN, NNP-BC is a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Specialist at AngelEye Health. She has over a decade of experience working in NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Units). Samantha’s doctoral work focused on assessing health literacy and improving the NICU discharge process. Today, she combines her clinical expertise with digital innovation to support families and care teams during the NICU journey.
Listen as Samantha Sobie and Helen Osborne talk about:
Neonatal teaching. Communicating essential information at a time when parents may be feeling stunned, traumatized, and overwhelmed.
The 5 Rights of Medication Administration. A framework that can be adapted to teaching parents in the NICU. These include right education, right dose, right patient/caregiver, right route, and right time.
Examples of ways to apply this teaching framework in other settings including community services, public health, and other aspects of clinical care.
More ways to learn:
Follow the 5 “Rs” of Medication Safety. While this topic is covered in many textbooks, Sobie likes this article from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as it highlights how parents can effectively give medications at home and how caregivers can support them.
AngelEye Health NICU2Home. How AngelEye Health leverages technology to reinforce the 5 rights of medication administration and apply these rights to family education.
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Know Your Audience: Children and Youth” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Neonatal Teaching: Health Literacy Lessons for Us All (HLOL #269) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
24 min
February 01Canine Companions and Facility Dogs in Healthcare (HLOL #268)
Eli Gerard has worked with Canine Companions for nearly a decade, including five years as a trainer. He now serves as the Program Field Representative for the Northeast Region. Eli assists with all aspects of the program including puppy raising support, placement of dogs released from the program, and direct work with clients. He brings to this his experience working in special education and enjoyment of many outdoor activities.
Jennifer Johnson has worked as a Child Life Specialist at Sutter Health in California for over 30 years. Most of that time, she specialized in pediatric oncology, supporting children and families as they navigate the significant stress and challenges of cancer treatment. In 2004, Jennifer became a Canine Companions graduate with her first facility dog, Millie. Together, they were pioneers in integrating facility dogs into the pediatric units at Sutter Health. Jennifer has worked with several dogs since, including her newest one, Bill. There are now 16 facility dog graduate teams across the Sutter Health system. As Jennifer shares, the positive impact of these dogs is truly powerful medicine.
Eli Gerard and Jennifer Johnson talk with Helen Osborne about:
Canine Companions. A non-profit organization that provides trained service dogs and ongoing support to people with disabilities free of charge.
Service dogs. Breeds of dogs, their training, and acquired skills.
Facility dogs. How they help in inpatient and outpatient pediatric care.
Ways for listeners to get involved through volunteering or perhaps even using facility dogs in their settings.
More ways to learn:
Canine Companions
Sutter Health Animal-Assisted Therapy
Videos:
Making an Impact with Canine Companions
Canine Companions Facility Dogs at Sutter Health
How to Approach a Service Dog in Public
Social Media:
@canineorg
@SutterFacilityDogs
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. The chapter “Community Connections” is especially relevant to this podcast episode.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Canine Companions and Facility Dogs in Healthcare (HLOL #268) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
26 min
January 01Communicating Clearly with People Who Have Disabilities (HLOL #267)
Tamara Huntley is a licensed social worker and passionate advocate for individuals with disabilities. Born with cerebral palsy, Tamara serves as the Self-Advocacy Liaison for the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council and contributes to research through Brandeis University’s Bridges Project. Tamara is a widow and proud single mother of two. Professionally and personally, Tamara’s commitment is to create a more inclusive world.
Joanne Nicholson, PhD is a clinical and research psychologist, Professor at the Institute for Behavioral Health at Brandeis University, and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the UMass Chan Medical School. Joanne’s research focuses on interventions, services, and support for families living with behavioral health conditions and disability. Joanne always partners with whose who bring lived experience. The PCORI-funded Bridges Project team, an active collaboration between Brandeis and partners at the Harvard Medical School Countway Library, includes mothers living with intellectual and developmental disabilities and focuses on promoting “Research Better Together.”
Listen as Tamara Huntley and Joanne Nicholson talk with Helen Osborne about:
Disabilities can include people with intellectual, physical and mental health challenges. Often, disabilities affect communication.
Recommendations about ways to communicate clearly and respectfully with people who have disabilities.
The value to everyone when partnering with people who bring lived experience whether in clinical care, research, or community settings.
More Ways to Learn:
“Mothers with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and Behavioral Health Conditions and Community Experts Provide Recommendations for Treatment/Services, Systems, and Research.” By Nicholson J, Mazel S, Faughnan K, Silverman A. Int J Environ Res Public Health, May 19, 2023.
Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC)
Health Literacy from A to Z: Practical Ways to Communicate Your Health Message, Third Edition, by Helen Osborne. All the chapters about “Know Your Audience” are relevant to this podcast.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
The post Communicating Clearly with People Who Have Disabilities (HLOL #267) appeared first on Health Literacy Out Loud Podcast.
19 min