Alliance Resources Help Consumers Make Good Health Care Decisions
Results from our recent member survey indicate that many of you are unfamiliar with the Alliance’s Own Your Health website (OYH), which offers consumer-friendly guidance to help people make well-informed decisions about their health care. As a member of the Alliance you have access to the OYH library of resources, including articles, videos, and infographics on a wide range of subjects, from selecting a health plan and how to safely get non-COVID medical care to understanding advance directives. The following are just a few examples to give you an idea of what’s available and how you can use it to help your members or employees get high quality health care.
With escalating health care costs, choosing a health plan can be intimidating. Help your members make the right choice during open enrollment with:
- What is open enrollment?
- Comparing health plan benefits
- Six things to have on hand before choosing a health plan
- Finding a plan that’s right for your wallet
The COVID pandemic has dissuaded many from accessing needed health care services, including preventive services. To help your employees and members stay healthy and avoid more expensive health issues in the future, consider directing them to these articles on the website:
- Do you need a checkup?
- Vaccines: the best preventive medicine
- Exercise is an important part of preventive care
- Why everyone over 50 should be screened for colorectal cancer
How do you know where to send your members and employees to ensure they are getting high quality health care in their community? It’s easy with these features that not only provide guidance, but link to the latest Alliance reports:
- Before choosing a new primary care provider
- Choosing the right medical group
- How to help your children get the care they need
- What to do if you have low-back pain
Patient engagement is an important component of high quality health care. But how can you help your members and employees be more involved in their health? Reference these articles on shared decision-making:
And for those members and employees who may find it uncomfortable or challenging to talk to their health care provider, these videos offer practical advice from a patient’s perspective:
- From football to team member
- Make your concerns and issues known
- Laura’s List
- Preparing for your appointment
- One question to remember
Alliance members can link to any of the OYH features from their website, in an email, or in social media posts. You can also create a free custom partner page, with content that you design like these Alliance members have done. If you’d like assistance designing a partner page or help using OYH content, contact Senior Manager of Communications Leslie Bennett.
Before I close, I just want to say a hearty thank you to the Alliance’s Consumer Education Committee, chaired for the last several years by Sarah Greene, whose members play a critical role in choosing topics and informing content for OYH:
Gloria Brigham, Washington State Nurses Association
Van Chaudhari, University of Washington
Michael Garrett, Mercer Health and Benefits
Michelle George, Washington State Health Care Authority
Nancy Kokenge, Arthur J. Gallagher & Company
Carolyn Martin, National Libraries of Medicine
Milana McLead, Washington State Medical Association
Matt Munson, King County
Cameron Pelley, Arthur J. Gallagher & Company
Shawn Quigley, Proliance Surgeons
Andrew Radolf, Consumer Representative
Sherry Reynolds, Consumer Representative
If you find OYH is useful to you or you have ideas on how it can be improved to help your members or employees, please feel free to pass them along!
All the best,
Nancy