The power and importance of a preventative approach to healthcare is based on patient education and is backed by results. A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Osteopathic Medicine found that just 45 minutes of patient education can improve outcomes for patients with chronic diseases. Patient education helps healthcare professionals adopt a more proactive approach to care and disease management. Screening for potential healthcare risks and treating them before they worsen into acute conditions not only saves lives and money, but also helps reduce long-term pressure on clinicians.
Consider cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the number one cause of death globally, accounting for 32% of deaths worldwide. CVD must be prevented immediately, but if left untreated, it has ripple effects on patients' long-term healthcare outcomes and costs. For example, the initial diagnosis of diabetes is often made during treatment for a heart attack, long after preventative measures could have been taken.
But preventive care is not just care. Patients must play their part by practicing self-care and adhering to their care plan. To do this, it is important to ensure that patients have the information and understanding of how and why they play their role. This is where patient education becomes key. If these educational materials are approachable and personalized, they can increase engagement by highlighting the factors that patients can control. This also takes an approach that makes the patient a partner in the care team. Emphasizing and empowering the patient in this role leads to positive outcomes and reduces pressure on the care team.
What does it take to create such educational materials?
Your design should align with four key principles that can increase empathy, understanding, and trust.
Provide educational materials in a way that best supports patients, their learning styles, and their preferred medium. Effective patient education materials have four pillars: Easy-to-understand content written at or below the fifth-grade reading level, as recommended in the Joint Commission report, Advancing Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Patient- and Family-Centered Care: A Roadmap for Hospitals. Clear, approachable, and human-centered medical art and visual storytelling. Materials that reflect the full range of patients and patient experiences, including race/ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, family structure, ability, and socioeconomic status, have been shown to build trust among a broader patient demographic and increase the accuracy of the information presented. Empathetic and diverse voices so patients can hear themselves and their community. People not only want to see themselves in educational materials, but they also want to hear representative voices.
Consume through personalized digital tools with an adaptable, accessible, interactive, and intuitive user experience. Assume this content is consumed on a phone or device, not a computer. Patients should be able to “drive” their own experience to achieve their goals. Recognize that social factors, including social circumstances, environment, and genetics, create health disparities. Effective education is not one size fits all and recognizes that patients come from different environments and backgrounds.
Focus on holistic health: Patient information should encourage positive behavioral changes around things the patient can influence, such as nutrition, mental health, managing stress and anxiety, and exercise.
Know that your patients may be anxious: Patient education can clarify complex topics in an easy-to-understand way, reducing anxiety and information overload.
When evaluating patient engagement and education, it is important to recognize that empathetic communication is not only the right thing to do, but it also delivers very real, quantifiable outcomes that can address some of healthcare's greatest challenges.
Patient education leads to better outcomes, including increased satisfaction, improved understanding, enhanced empowerment, and improved clinical outcomes. For example, Cleveland Clinic found that patients who had a colonoscopy were 50% less likely to have a repeat colonoscopy when they viewed relevant patient education. This is just one example of the measurable impact that proactive patient education can have.
The time has come to make empathetic, inclusive health education content the standard so patients, providers, and payers can work together on their health journeys and achieve better outcomes.
Photo: Paul Bradbury, Getty Images
As a brand and creative leader, Evan has crafted award-winning experiences, campaigns and strategies for dynamic brands across a range of industries. At Wolters Kluwer, he leads a talented team of design, animation and UX experts building content and experiences for Emmi, a patient engagement tool that makes care more personal and helps people make better health decisions.
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