Communication with clients is one of the most important responsibilities of a healthcare facility. Such handouts are useful in making the clients understand their medical conditions best as well as get information on the services that are available in the given facility. Commonly used modes of communication include the use of audiovisual documentaries, education handouts and healthcare talks. In this article we look at how to utilize patient handouts.
It is necessary to emphasize that the main role of these tools is to advise the patients rather than promote the institution. It is for this reason that 80% of the content is dedicated to the education of the patient while 20% is reserved for advertising. It has been shown that patients that are constantly educated about their conditions are likely to remain more loyal than those that are merely bombarded with advertisements.
The designer of a brochure needs to know from the very beginning, the content that they wish to put on this tool of communication. One of the easiest ways to go about this is by coming up with a rough outline and fitting in the details later. You also need to know the number of paragraphs that will be needed. Ideally, every paragraph should be dedicated to one topic or subtopic.
Different formats can be used depending on the target audience as well as designer preference. The most commonly used format is that of titles and subtitles. Titles address a major topic while subtitles address smaller issues around this major topic. If one is discussing diabetes, for example, one of the topics may be treatment of the disease. The subtopics may include drugs, exercise and diet modification among others.
The message should always be appropriate for the target audience. If the group is larger and heterogeneous, there is a need to have it segmented into smaller units that have similar problems. The basis of segmentation may be the gender, the age, the level of education as well as the type of medical condition. When you do this, it becomes easier to develop materials that can address specific concerns.
Adopt a simple approach by choosing simple, concise sentences as opposed to very long ones with confusing explanation. Shorter, simple sentences have been shown to increase readability which is the main objective of preparing these materials. If a given aspect requires a detailed explanation then references to reading materials with the required details can be provided in the brochure.
Ensures that illustrations are included in the brochure wherever possible. When properly used, illustrations may communicate better than written text. There are two main categories of illustrations that one may choose from: the filler types and the informational types. As the names suggest, the filler types are designed to complement the text by adding a bit of color and breaking the reading monotony. The informational illustrations help in educating the reader.
The entire exercise may be outsourced if you feel that you are not up to the task. The agency will conduct research in the facility to find out the kind of clients that you are dealing with and what their needs are. They then proceed to design what they think will meet these needs in the best way possible. This frees you and you can continue with your normal routines uninterrupted. The main downside is that it makes the whole exercise quite expensive.
It is necessary to emphasize that the main role of these tools is to advise the patients rather than promote the institution. It is for this reason that 80% of the content is dedicated to the education of the patient while 20% is reserved for advertising. It has been shown that patients that are constantly educated about their conditions are likely to remain more loyal than those that are merely bombarded with advertisements.
The designer of a brochure needs to know from the very beginning, the content that they wish to put on this tool of communication. One of the easiest ways to go about this is by coming up with a rough outline and fitting in the details later. You also need to know the number of paragraphs that will be needed. Ideally, every paragraph should be dedicated to one topic or subtopic.
Different formats can be used depending on the target audience as well as designer preference. The most commonly used format is that of titles and subtitles. Titles address a major topic while subtitles address smaller issues around this major topic. If one is discussing diabetes, for example, one of the topics may be treatment of the disease. The subtopics may include drugs, exercise and diet modification among others.
The message should always be appropriate for the target audience. If the group is larger and heterogeneous, there is a need to have it segmented into smaller units that have similar problems. The basis of segmentation may be the gender, the age, the level of education as well as the type of medical condition. When you do this, it becomes easier to develop materials that can address specific concerns.
Adopt a simple approach by choosing simple, concise sentences as opposed to very long ones with confusing explanation. Shorter, simple sentences have been shown to increase readability which is the main objective of preparing these materials. If a given aspect requires a detailed explanation then references to reading materials with the required details can be provided in the brochure.
Ensures that illustrations are included in the brochure wherever possible. When properly used, illustrations may communicate better than written text. There are two main categories of illustrations that one may choose from: the filler types and the informational types. As the names suggest, the filler types are designed to complement the text by adding a bit of color and breaking the reading monotony. The informational illustrations help in educating the reader.
The entire exercise may be outsourced if you feel that you are not up to the task. The agency will conduct research in the facility to find out the kind of clients that you are dealing with and what their needs are. They then proceed to design what they think will meet these needs in the best way possible. This frees you and you can continue with your normal routines uninterrupted. The main downside is that it makes the whole exercise quite expensive.
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