It is easier to deal with patients that are equipped with information about their conditions than those that are not. For this reason, patients that are frequently updated about their illnesses tend to show better outcomes. The different channels that are available are associated with various advantages and disadvantages. Patient handouts have emerged as one of the most commonly used options. We will look at how this tool can be used and utilized.
The first thing that one needs to do is to clearly identify their target audience. Audience characteristics have a great influence on the content. They include the type of medical conditions and diseases managed in the facility, the age and gender of patients and the aim of the message. To understand these aspects, there is a need to conduct research in the preparation stage. In some cases, the target group may be large and heterogeneous which may force you to break it down into smaller groups.
After identification of the target audience, the next step is to create the content of the brochure. The easiest way to do this is to start by creating an outline (or rough draft). Finer adjustments can be made later on before the creation of the final message. Choose your level of vocabulary carefully so that it can be understood by your target audience easily. The sentences should preferably be short and concise.
There are different formats that one can choose from. The first is based on titles and subtitles. The title addresses the main topic while the subtitles serve to provide a little more information on the topic under discussion. For instance, if the main title is diabetes. The subtitles would address issues such as the risk factors of the condition, the causes, treatments and complications among others. The question and answer format is another alternative.
Illustrations are an important inclusion in the handouts. One of the benefits is that they help audiences to understand the topics better. An example is the use of an image of the heart to explain cardiovascular diseases. These types of illustrations are known as educational illustrations. The other type includes the filler illustrations mainly used to make the reading experience more interesting without necessarily adding any knowledge.
You may need to involve a great deal of creativity to get the patients interested in the handout. If you modify it in such a manner that it has many other uses then the readers are likely to retain it for longer and will even make references to it again in future. Some of the ways of doing this is to modify them into items such as calendars and bookmarks.
Advertisements can be made through handouts alongside the other information. You will likely benefit more if the advertisements are in line with the subject matter. If a brochure is discussing cancers, for instance, the advertisement may relate to interventions that can be made to manage the specific cancers discussed. Even as you do this, strive to keep the advertisements at less than 20% of the content.
The handouts that are used in patient education have remained an important tool of communication over the years. The brochures can be customized to meet patient and facility needs which makes them such a great option. Since the design and production process is quite challenging some people choose to outsource the entire exercise.
The first thing that one needs to do is to clearly identify their target audience. Audience characteristics have a great influence on the content. They include the type of medical conditions and diseases managed in the facility, the age and gender of patients and the aim of the message. To understand these aspects, there is a need to conduct research in the preparation stage. In some cases, the target group may be large and heterogeneous which may force you to break it down into smaller groups.
After identification of the target audience, the next step is to create the content of the brochure. The easiest way to do this is to start by creating an outline (or rough draft). Finer adjustments can be made later on before the creation of the final message. Choose your level of vocabulary carefully so that it can be understood by your target audience easily. The sentences should preferably be short and concise.
There are different formats that one can choose from. The first is based on titles and subtitles. The title addresses the main topic while the subtitles serve to provide a little more information on the topic under discussion. For instance, if the main title is diabetes. The subtitles would address issues such as the risk factors of the condition, the causes, treatments and complications among others. The question and answer format is another alternative.
Illustrations are an important inclusion in the handouts. One of the benefits is that they help audiences to understand the topics better. An example is the use of an image of the heart to explain cardiovascular diseases. These types of illustrations are known as educational illustrations. The other type includes the filler illustrations mainly used to make the reading experience more interesting without necessarily adding any knowledge.
You may need to involve a great deal of creativity to get the patients interested in the handout. If you modify it in such a manner that it has many other uses then the readers are likely to retain it for longer and will even make references to it again in future. Some of the ways of doing this is to modify them into items such as calendars and bookmarks.
Advertisements can be made through handouts alongside the other information. You will likely benefit more if the advertisements are in line with the subject matter. If a brochure is discussing cancers, for instance, the advertisement may relate to interventions that can be made to manage the specific cancers discussed. Even as you do this, strive to keep the advertisements at less than 20% of the content.
The handouts that are used in patient education have remained an important tool of communication over the years. The brochures can be customized to meet patient and facility needs which makes them such a great option. Since the design and production process is quite challenging some people choose to outsource the entire exercise.
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