There are many options that you can consider when communicating to patients. These range from public lectures, video and audio documentaries and written literature among others. Using patient education handouts appears to be the most effective option and fairly affordable to effect. There are a number of things that you should consider as you prepare these handouts. They include the design, the content, illustrations and the production process.
The content is the most important. It is what you should spend the most time on. It refers to the words (and the message) that will be contained on the brochure. You should ideally start by preparing an outline or rough draft of what you intend to pass across. Determine the ideas that are to be communicated in each paragraph and what format is to be adopted. The commonest format includes questions and answers.
If you have been in practice for long coming up with the questions which are commonly asked by patients and their answers will be fairly easy. You can set up interviews with your colleagues to help you generate more ideas. They will not only suggest more questions that you should include in the handout but will also advise you on the aspects that should be emphasized.
If you are dealing with a large heterogeneous group, try and break it down into smaller units. Segmentation can be done based on factors such as age, gender and common medical conditions among others. This will enable you develop a more targeted message. You can develop questionnaires that will help you establish important characteristics such as social status, reading levels and a brief medical history.
Ensure that the level of vocabulary that is used is aligned to the level of education of your clients. Use short and concise sentences that are objective. Giving explanations that are too detailed may result in loss of interest. A more focused approach is better than a more generalized one. For example, addressing the causes of hypertension or lifestyle changes that can be adopted as treatment communicates better than generalized information on hypertension.
Illustrations are of two main types; informational illustrations and filler illustrations. The former are used for education purpose. They may include, for example, anatomical illustrations or flow charts that indicate the progress of a disease. Fillers, on the other hand, do not communicate any complicated message and are meant to add color to the material. They are the first to go if there is a need to cut down on printing costs.
The design is what brings the text, the illustrations and the paper together. It is what determines whether a brochure will be read or will be filed away. The factors to consider as you design the handout include the color, readability and the font. Use color that will have the greatest impact on your audience. In some cases, less is better. Just do your research and understand your audience well.
It is possible to outsource this process if you are too busy to design your own handouts or if you want them done professionally. Your role will be simply to state the content and how you want it presented. Unfortunately, this process costs a lot of money especially if you intend to produce several titles. Your ideas may also be misrepresented.
The content is the most important. It is what you should spend the most time on. It refers to the words (and the message) that will be contained on the brochure. You should ideally start by preparing an outline or rough draft of what you intend to pass across. Determine the ideas that are to be communicated in each paragraph and what format is to be adopted. The commonest format includes questions and answers.
If you have been in practice for long coming up with the questions which are commonly asked by patients and their answers will be fairly easy. You can set up interviews with your colleagues to help you generate more ideas. They will not only suggest more questions that you should include in the handout but will also advise you on the aspects that should be emphasized.
If you are dealing with a large heterogeneous group, try and break it down into smaller units. Segmentation can be done based on factors such as age, gender and common medical conditions among others. This will enable you develop a more targeted message. You can develop questionnaires that will help you establish important characteristics such as social status, reading levels and a brief medical history.
Ensure that the level of vocabulary that is used is aligned to the level of education of your clients. Use short and concise sentences that are objective. Giving explanations that are too detailed may result in loss of interest. A more focused approach is better than a more generalized one. For example, addressing the causes of hypertension or lifestyle changes that can be adopted as treatment communicates better than generalized information on hypertension.
Illustrations are of two main types; informational illustrations and filler illustrations. The former are used for education purpose. They may include, for example, anatomical illustrations or flow charts that indicate the progress of a disease. Fillers, on the other hand, do not communicate any complicated message and are meant to add color to the material. They are the first to go if there is a need to cut down on printing costs.
The design is what brings the text, the illustrations and the paper together. It is what determines whether a brochure will be read or will be filed away. The factors to consider as you design the handout include the color, readability and the font. Use color that will have the greatest impact on your audience. In some cases, less is better. Just do your research and understand your audience well.
It is possible to outsource this process if you are too busy to design your own handouts or if you want them done professionally. Your role will be simply to state the content and how you want it presented. Unfortunately, this process costs a lot of money especially if you intend to produce several titles. Your ideas may also be misrepresented.
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