Health literacy
Feedback
We welcome your comments and suggestions to improve the site for all users.
To report site problems, or to suggest additional research or resources we could include, click here to email us.
mihealth online
Health literacy is about building competence to make health decisions.
What is the initiative?
mihealth is a web-based personal information resource and healthcare organiser. It is aimed at addressing the 'interactive' and 'critical' levels of health literacy (see definitions).
It is currently aimed at people with cancer, although the system will work for many disease areas.
It provides a comprehensive source of generic user-friendly information about the condition and the treatment options; but uniquely, it provides information specific to the organisation providing the care. This includes things as prosaic -- and useful -- as staff lists, treatment centres and advice about parking.
Beyond the generic pages users can use it as a personal diary, information store and journal.
Developed originally in hospitals in Liverpool and Newcastle, mihealth has been commissioned by a growing number of NHS trusts including the Royal Marsden in London.
How are patients involved?
mihealth was conceived and developed by a former breast cancer patient. It continually evolves in close consultation with patients, support group volunteers and health professionals.
What difference has it made?
mihealth has been proven to improve patients' knowledge, support the decision making process and improve the patient experience.
What do health professionals say?
"mihealth is flexible and can easily be customised by individual units and is an ideal system to give information to the patient when they need it."
Clive Griffith, Breast Surgeon - (46 seconds)
What do patients say?
"mihealth gave me the courage to carry on."
Karen Hopkins, patient
