Patient education handouts have become part and parcel of modern day healthcare provision. They have helped greatly in communication between a healthcare facility and the clients. It should be remembered that it is the right of every patient to know about the services provided by a given institution. Due to the importance of these communication tools, you need to have some knowledge regarding how you can make and use them appropriately.
There are two types of handouts that one can choose from. These are the locally produced (within the facility) and those that are obtained commercially (pre-printed). Each type is associated with both advantages and disadvantages. Commercially available types have the advantage of being easy to obtain but are usually more expensive. In addition, they do not usually convey the message as desired. Locally produced materials are labour intensive but are cheap and convey the message precisely.
When developing your materials, you need to have a clear goal as to what you intend to achieve. For instance, the main objective may be to help the patient to clearly understand their condition. At the same time, it may be to emphasise to them the importance of complying with medication and other forms of treatments. Some are designed to influence the clients to change some form of undesired behaviours.
There are a number of factors that play a major role in determining the type of design that is to be used. One of the factors is whether the materials are meant for single use or for frequent reference. Also, if the patient will be required to give responses (feedback) through writing, for example, this should be planned for in advance. The designer needs to clearly know who the intended target is. This may be the entire patient population or just those with specific conditions.
The writing style chosen must be appropriate for the targeted group. Do not use medical jargon as this may confuse your reader or may not be understood altogether. If you use a technical term, ensure that a definition of the same is included. The recommendation is that one should use the second person when addressing the client and not the third person. This is because when the former is used, the client finds it easier to relate to the message.
Long and complex sentences tend to lose the meaning intended and should, for this reason, be avoided. The maximum number of syllables in a word should be three except in the rare cases where appropriate synonyms cannot be found. Once you are satisfied with the content, select a few clients randomly and test the readability of your content. Any difficulties should be addressed at this stage.
The language and the style that is chosen have to be in line with the education levels of the clientele. At times, there is need to conduct research to know the education level for the desired group of clients. In the event that this is not possible, then the simplest style is chosen. The content must be up to date and accurate.
The use of patient education handouts carries with it numerous benefits. Not only does it help your clients learn about the disease they are struggling with but is also a very important tool used in preventive medicine. It is a tool that should be used by all health workers providing this essential service.
There are two types of handouts that one can choose from. These are the locally produced (within the facility) and those that are obtained commercially (pre-printed). Each type is associated with both advantages and disadvantages. Commercially available types have the advantage of being easy to obtain but are usually more expensive. In addition, they do not usually convey the message as desired. Locally produced materials are labour intensive but are cheap and convey the message precisely.
When developing your materials, you need to have a clear goal as to what you intend to achieve. For instance, the main objective may be to help the patient to clearly understand their condition. At the same time, it may be to emphasise to them the importance of complying with medication and other forms of treatments. Some are designed to influence the clients to change some form of undesired behaviours.
There are a number of factors that play a major role in determining the type of design that is to be used. One of the factors is whether the materials are meant for single use or for frequent reference. Also, if the patient will be required to give responses (feedback) through writing, for example, this should be planned for in advance. The designer needs to clearly know who the intended target is. This may be the entire patient population or just those with specific conditions.
The writing style chosen must be appropriate for the targeted group. Do not use medical jargon as this may confuse your reader or may not be understood altogether. If you use a technical term, ensure that a definition of the same is included. The recommendation is that one should use the second person when addressing the client and not the third person. This is because when the former is used, the client finds it easier to relate to the message.
Long and complex sentences tend to lose the meaning intended and should, for this reason, be avoided. The maximum number of syllables in a word should be three except in the rare cases where appropriate synonyms cannot be found. Once you are satisfied with the content, select a few clients randomly and test the readability of your content. Any difficulties should be addressed at this stage.
The language and the style that is chosen have to be in line with the education levels of the clientele. At times, there is need to conduct research to know the education level for the desired group of clients. In the event that this is not possible, then the simplest style is chosen. The content must be up to date and accurate.
The use of patient education handouts carries with it numerous benefits. Not only does it help your clients learn about the disease they are struggling with but is also a very important tool used in preventive medicine. It is a tool that should be used by all health workers providing this essential service.
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