Lori Anne Parker-Danley, PhD

< previous core faculty                    next core faculty >

FOCUS: The role of narrative in fostering health literacy

Lori Anne Parker-Danley is the director of the patient education department at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She joined the department as an editor in 2011 and moved into her current role in 2020. Her department works to foster health literacy and clear communication across Vanderbilt Health by editing and designing health literate materials for providers. In addition to managing a team of editors, Lori Anne regularly teaches on various health literacy topics, including plain language writing, shared decision making, and teach-back, and works closely with dietetic interns and students from Vanderbilt's Peabody College to help train them how to practice clear communication. She has a PhD in philosophy from Binghamton University, is currently working on her CPA in narrative medicine from Columbia University, and is a practicing visual artist. Her research interests include narrative medicine and stories of illness, the ways health humanities intersect with health literacy, and how art and the humanities can be used to foster deep listening.

Research Interests

Health humanities, narrative medicine, illness narratives, health literacy