BOISE, Idaho, May 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When people get health information they understand, they can make better health decisions. For over 40 years Healthwise has written clear and simple health education that empowers people to make better health decisions. The Center for Plain Language has issued its Grand ClearMark Award to Healthwise in recognition of Healthwise’s commitment to plain language. This year there were 147 total entries across 14 categories.
Healthwise’s winning decision aid, “Knee Osteoarthritis: Is It Time to Think About Surgery?” also received a ClearMark Award in the Digital: Apps and Microsites category. According to the judges, “This app overall is a useful tool that effectively brings together information in a way that it’s professional, educational, and compassionate. This would be a great template for other topics.”
“We’re thrilled to receive this award that shows our commitment to health information written in plain language,” said Christy Calhoun, Healthwise Senior Vice President of Consumer Health Experience. “We want to make a difference in people’s lives. To do that, we write, design, and develop experiences that help people understand how they can take care of themselves.”
Healthwise® decision aids present options in an unbiased manner, explain the risks and benefits of each option, and capture people’s values and priorities in a summary that can support a shared decision-making conversation between patients and the care team. According to the Center for Plain Language, the ClearMark Awards measure the success of plain language in each submission by reviewing and rating them based on an understanding of audience needs, style and voice, structure and content, information design and navigation, and graphics and charts.
The Center for Plain Language, a non-profit organization, helps government agencies and businesses write clear and understandable communications. The Center supports those who use plain language, trains those who should use plain language, and urges people to demand plain language in all the communications they receive, read, and use.
Healthwise’s award-winning decision aid “Knee Osteoarthritis: Is It Time to Think About Surgery?” is also certified by Washington State Health Care Authority, as part of an effort to put evidence-based information into the hands of its residents.
About Healthwise
Healthwise is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. People have turned to Healthwise information more than 2 billion times to learn how to do more for themselves, ask for the care they need, and say “no” to the care they don’t need. Healthwise partners with hospitals, electronic medical record (EMR) providers, health plans, care management companies, and health websites to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the people they serve. www.healthwise.org. 1.800.706.9646.
Media Contact:
Sonja Deines
sdeines@healthwise.org | 208-489-8481