Clear Words, Better Care: How Plain Language Helps Improve Health Outcomes

When it comes to healthcare, knowledge is power. As a patient, the better you understand your health, the easier it is to advocate for your own health goals and work with your provider to make sure you get the best possible care. And yet, for many patients, the complexities of the United States healthcare system, combined with medical jargon, represent an insurmountable barrier. Meetings with providers are too short. Information is presented in great technical detail. Patients are asked to adapt to a new health condition quickly without time to process and ask questions.

When patients are uncertain about their healthcare, be it diagnoses, test results, or medication instructions, they are unable to take an active role in their care. They may not understand the importance of making a lifestyle change or may choose not to follow medical advice. This lack of understanding can worsen existing health conditions, increase the risk of developing additional health problems, and reduce patient quality of life. In some cases, stigma and embarassment can lead patients to not ask questions, compounding the risk of future health issues.

As a medical writer, you have the opportunity to create the resources and documents that help patients understand their health, empowering them to take an active role in their health and advocate for the care they want to receive.

The role of plain language

One of the most powerful tools in the medical writer toolkit for helping support patients is plain language. Plain language is clear, concise writing that communicates an idea without overexplaining or relying on jargon. Originating as a movement to simplify legal documentation, the concept of plain language has since spread to other industries, including healthcare. In 2010, President Obama signed the Plain Writing Act into law, making it a requirement that all government information be provided in a format that is clear and accessible to the general public. In healthcare, plain language is often used in the design of patient education materials, such as brochures, decision aids, digital health tools, and consent forms. These resources help engage patients in their own care and equip them with the tools to make informed decisions.

How to use plain language

There are many different strategies and approaches to leveraging plain language in healthcare communications. For example, the United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) provides a clear framework for evaluating whether your document is clear and comprehensible for all patients. Regardless of the approach, all plain language strategies have the following core principles in common:

1. Defined purpose: Make the purpose of the document clear to the reader. Remove any extraneous information and focus only on that purpose.
2. Clear organization: Chunk information into clear, digestible chunks. Ensure the layout of the document is simple and logical.
3. Simple writing: Use short, direct sentences. Avoid long sentences full of multiple dependent clauses.
4. Everyday words: Avoid technical jargon and idioms. Swap out common terms for health conditions (e.g., use 'bruise' instead of 'contusion'). If you can't avoid a complex term, make sure to explain it clearly in the document.

Putting it all together

When patients are actively engaged in their own care, outcomes improve. Patients experience increased satisfaction with their providers and see better quality of life. Clear understanding of health conditions, treatment options, and care plans is vital to empowering patients to be active partners in managing their health. As such, medical writers leveraging plain language principles play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between patients and providers and consequently, in helping to improve health outcomes in the United States.

Bio: Daniel Kelley is a freelance medical writer specializing in education for both patients and providers. He has over 15 years experience in developing and delivering health education programs for adult learners that help close gaps in clinical performance and promote collaboration between patients and their care teams. His work draws on adult learning design, public health, plain language, health equity, and cross-cultural communication, having designed educational materials in the areas of pulmonology, endocrinology, obstetrics/gynecology, and oncology. Daniel is passionate about the power of technology to address traditional barriers to connect and connect people with the resources that will empower them to achieve their health goals.