Here are 6 tips to improve your patient education materials.

1. 6 Tips to Improve
Patient Education Materials

2. Understand your
target audience
TIP 1.
Brochures with photographs of
elderly people will not be well
received by young
patients.

3. TIP 2.
Simplify the
language
The American Medical
Association (AMA) recommends
that patient education materials
not exceed a sixth-grade
(11-year-old) reading level.

4. A great example…TIP 2.
Lying in bed
It is best if you lie on
your back. Your bed
needs to be the right
height and you need a
firm mattress.
Rest phase
Resting in a supine
position is recommended.
Adequate bed height and
mattress firmness are
imperative.

5. Consider the
communication channel
TIP 3.
Elderly people might be less
likely to use the internet. So
choose a medium with your
audience in mind.

6. TIP 4.
Gather feedback from
your target audience
In the end, who better to assess whether
the material is understandable than the
patients themselves?

7. TIP 5.
Don’t overwhelm with
too much information
No patient is going to read a
102-page brochure. Prioritise
content and leave out
unnecessary information.

8. TIP 6.
Don’t be condescending
Patients might not know
everything, but that doesn’t
mean they’re stupid. If the
audience feels respected,
messages are more likely to
be remembered.

9. For more information about
this and other articles, visit:
www.medicalwriters.com/blog

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