KC Digital Drive Collaboration with New Programming at Literacy KC

by | Jan 22, 2024 | Digital Skills Training, Healthcare Technology, Digital Inclusion

Kansas City non-profit Literacy KC has expanded its services to include not just traditional and digital literacy, but health and financial literacy, as well. These topics now fit nicely into the online and in-class hybrid learning that Literacy KC offers. In health, this includes things like knowing the roles of various practitioners, choosing a health care provider, navigating insurance, making appointments, and understanding the information conveyed by the practitioner. In finance, it includes making and following a budget, opening bank accounts, dealing with interest rates and debt, and planning a financial future.

Though health and financial literacy are not exclusively digital, much of what happens in these domains is now online. This plays well into Literacy KC’s expertise in both traditional and digital literacy. Recognizing the technical side of things, Literacy KC is helping learners to answer questions like: How do I install and sign into my doctor’s health portal? How can I talk with a doctor or nurse in a virtual telehealth visit? Where can I find credible information about a new health diagnosis? How can I determine my status with my financial accounts? How do I perform online transactions? How can I find and apply for better job opportunities?

As part of health literacy, KC Digital Drive’s Health Innovation Team has collaborated with Literacy KC to search out and provide instructions on connecting to the portals of many different health care providers in the Kansas City area. Having this connection allows consumers to access their health information, including instructions from their previous visits, make appointments, ask for prescription refills, and communicate directly and securely with their provider. Further, the Health Innovation Team has been able to provide support in telehealth virtual patient/provider visits, especially those offered by insurance plans. In doing this, KC Digital Drive has been able to extend and leverage work done in other projects, highlighting and enhancing the power of the digital literacy ecosystem.

Literacy KC offers its health literacy opportunity on the last Friday of odd-numbered months, starting March 29th, from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m., at their Clymer Campus, 1301 Vine St. KCMO 64106, 816-231-2700. Their financial literacy opportunity is on the last Monday of each month, starting January 29th, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. at their Troost campus, 3036 Troost Ave. Lower Level. KCMO 64109, 816-333-9332

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