How to Write Patient Education Materials That Patients Actually Understand

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-08-27

Quick Answer

• Use short sentences, common words, and active voice to replace medical jargon with plain language that patients can read and act on.
• Test every draft with a readability formula and a patient reader before you finalize it for distribution.
• Plain language does not mean dumbing down content, and readability scores alone cannot guarantee that a patient understands the material.

Why Patient Education Materials Fail

Patient education materials fail when they mirror the language of the clinical note instead of the language of the patient. A discharge summary that says "administer 500 mg acetaminophen PO q6h PRN for pyrexia" is precise for a clinician but nearly useless for a caregiver at home. The gap between clinical documentation and patient comprehension is the core problem that medical writers must solve.

Health literacy research consistently shows that most adults read at a level well below the complexity of typical medical documents. When patients cannot understand their instructions, they cannot follow them. Missed doses, incorrect medication timing, misunderstood warning signs, and unnecessary emergency visits are the predictable outcomes of education materials that prioritize clinical accuracy over patient comprehension.

The stakes are higher than convenience. Patients who misunderstand discharge instructions are more likely to be readmitted. Patients who cannot decode a consent form may agree to procedures without understanding the risks. Patients who misread a food-drug interaction warning can end up in the emergency department. The writer who masters plain language is beyond producing better documents, they are reducing real harm.

Another reason materials fail is that writers assume their audience shares their vocabulary. A patient who has just received a cancer diagnosis may not know what "metastasis" means, even if the word was used by the oncologist during the consultation. The stress of a new diagnosis further reduces the ability to process unfamiliar terms. Writers must account for the emotional state of the reader, beyond their educational level.

At a Glance

Core Principles of Plain Language Medical Writing

Know Your Reader Before You Write

The first step in writing patient education materials is identifying who will read them. A teenager with asthma needs different language than a retired grandparent managing the same condition. A patient whose first language is not English needs different support than a native speaker. A patient with low vision needs larger type and higher contrast.

Start by asking these questions about your target reader:

• What is their approximate reading level?
• What is their cultural background and how does it affect their health beliefs?
• What is their emotional state when they will read this material?
• What specific action do they need to take after reading?
• What barriers might prevent them from taking that action?

The answers shape every subsequent decision. A material aimed at a newly diagnosed patient should focus on immediate next steps. A material aimed at a patient managing a chronic condition can include more depth about long-term management. A material aimed at a caregiver should address the caregiver's role directly.

Replace Clinical Terms With Common Words

Clinical terminology serves an important purpose in medical records and professional communication. It does not serve patients. The writer's job is to translate, not to educate patients in medical vocabulary.

Use this translation approach:

When a clinical term is unavoidable, define it immediately in plain language. For example, write "Your doctor may recommend a biopsy, which is a small sample of tissue taken for testing." The definition appears in the same sentence, so the reader does not have to search for meaning.

Write Short Sentences With One Idea Each

Sentence length is one of the strongest predictors of readability. Long sentences force the reader to hold multiple ideas in working memory while trying to decode unfamiliar terms. Under the stress of illness, working memory is already compromised.

Write sentences that express one idea. Break compound sentences into separate sentences. Use active voice so the reader knows who is doing what. Compare these examples:

• Complex: "If you experience any of the following symptoms, which may indicate a serious reaction to the medication, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately or seek emergency medical attention."
• Plain: "Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of a serious reaction. If you cannot reach your doctor, go to the emergency room."

The plain version uses two sentences, active voice, and direct instructions. The reader knows exactly what to do and when to do it.

Use the Active Voice

Active voice names the actor. Passive voice hides the actor. Patients need to know who does what, especially when the action is theirs.

• Passive: "The medication should be taken with food."
• Active: "Take this medicine with food."

• Passive: "Your blood sugar will be checked before each meal."
• Active: "Check your blood sugar before each meal."

Active voice also shortens sentences, which improves readability scores and actual comprehension.

Organize Information for Action

Patients read education materials to answer a question or complete a task. Organize the material around the patient's need, not the writer's outline of the disease.

A useful structure for most patient education materials is:

1. What is this condition or treatment?
2. What do I need to do?
3. What should I watch for?
4. When should I call for help?
5. Where can I get more information?

Put the most important information first. Patients may not read the entire document, so the critical instructions must appear early. A patient who only reads the first paragraph should still know the most important action they need to take.

Practical Workflow for Writing Patient Education Materials

Step 1: Gather the Source Material

Collect the clinical information that needs to be translated. This may include:

• Discharge instructions
• Medication guides
• Consent forms
• Procedure descriptions
• Disease fact sheets
• Clinical practice guidelines

Identify the key facts that the patient must know. Not everything in the clinical source material belongs in the patient version. The writer must decide what is essential for the patient to act on and what is background information that can be omitted.

Step 2: Draft in Plain Language

Write the first draft using the plain language principles described above. Do not try to make the draft perfect. Focus on getting the information into patient-friendly language.

During the draft, ask these questions for every sentence:

• Does the reader need this information to take action?
• Can I say this in fewer words?
• Is there a simpler word I can use?
• Does the sentence have one idea or several?
• Is the action the reader should take clear?

Step 3: Run a Readability Check

Readability formulas estimate the grade level needed to understand a text. Common formulas include:

• Flesch Reading Ease
• Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level
• Gunning Fog Index
• SMOG Index

Most patient education guidelines recommend aiming for a sixth to eighth grade reading level. The American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health both recommend plain language for patient materials.

Run the readability check on your draft. If the grade level is too high, revise the sentences and word choices. Shorten long sentences, replace complex words, and break up dense paragraphs.

Readability formulas have limitations. They measure sentence length and word complexity, but they do not measure whether the content makes sense. A document can score at a fifth grade level and still be confusing if the logic is unclear. Use readability scores as a screening tool, not as proof of comprehension.

Step 4: Test With Real Patients

The most reliable test of patient education material is to give it to the intended audience and ask them to explain it back. This is called a teach-back or comprehension test.

Ask patients to:

• Read the material
• Explain in their own words what they are supposed to do
• Identify the warning signs they should watch for
• State when they should call for help

If the patient cannot explain the material accurately, the material needs revision. The problem is in the writing, not in the patient.

Formal usability testing may not be possible for every document. At minimum, ask a colleague who is not a medical professional to read the material and identify anything confusing. A fresh reader who is not immersed in clinical language will catch jargon that the writer has stopped noticing.

Step 5: Revise Based on Feedback

Use the feedback from readability testing and patient review to revise the material. Pay attention to:

• Words that patients did not understand
• Sentences that patients had to read twice
• Instructions that patients could not restate
• Questions that patients asked after reading

Revise until the material passes both the readability formula and the patient comprehension test. Keep a record of the testing process so you can document the quality of the material.

Step 6: Format for Readability

The visual presentation of the material affects whether patients read it and understand it. Use:

• Short paragraphs with white space between them
• Headings that break the content into sections
• Bullet points for lists of instructions
• Bold text for the most important warnings
• Large font size, at least 12 point
• High contrast between text and background
• Simple graphics that support the text

Avoid:

• Dense blocks of text
• Small fonts
• Low contrast colors
• Decorative fonts that are hard to read
• Graphics that do not add information

Before and After Examples

Example 1: Medication Instructions

Before (clinical language):

"Administer one tablet of lisinopril 10 mg orally once daily. If a dose is missed, administer as soon as remembered unless it is almost time for the next dose. Do not double the dose. Common adverse effects include dizziness, headache, and dry cough. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience angioedema, which is swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat."

After (plain language):

"Take one 10 mg lisinopril tablet every day. Take it at the same time each day. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not take two doses at once.

This medicine can cause dizziness, headache, or a dry cough. Call your doctor right away if your face, lips, tongue, or throat swells. This could be a sign of a serious allergic reaction."

The plain version uses shorter sentences, active voice, and common words. The warning about swelling is separated and emphasized. The reader knows exactly what to do.

Example 2: Discharge Instructions

Before (clinical language):

"Patient is discharged with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia. Continue the prescribed course of amoxicillin-clavulanate 875/125 mg BID for a total of 7 days. Follow up with primary care physician in 2 weeks. Return to ED if fever persists beyond 48 hours, if respiratory status deteriorates, or if new symptoms develop."

After (plain language):

"You have pneumonia, which is an infection in your lungs. Take your antibiotic twice a day, morning and night, for 7 days. Finish all the medicine even if you feel better.

Make an appointment with your regular doctor in 2 weeks.

Go to the emergency room if:

• Your fever lasts longer than 2 days
• You have more trouble breathing
• You get new symptoms"

The plain version tells the patient what they have, what to do, and when to seek help. The warning signs are in a bulleted list that is easy to scan.

Example 3: Consent Form Language

Before (clinical language):

"The procedure involves the percutaneous insertion of a catheter into the femoral artery with advancement to the coronary ostia for the purpose of diagnostic angiography. Risks include but are not limited to bleeding at the access site, contrast-induced nephropathy, and myocardial infarction."

After (plain language):

"This test looks at the blood vessels around your heart. The doctor will put a thin tube into an artery in your leg and guide it to your heart. Then the doctor will inject dye and take pictures.

The test has some risks. You may have bleeding where the tube went in. The dye can harm your kidneys. In rare cases, the test can cause a heart attack.

Ask your doctor to explain anything you do not understand before you sign this form."

The plain version explains the procedure in everyday terms, lists the risks in plain language, and invites questions. The reader can make an informed decision.

Readability Metrics and How to Use Them

Common Readability Formulas

How to Run a Readability Check

Most word processing programs include a readability check. In Microsoft Word, the feature is under File, Options, Proofing, and Show readability statistics. Online tools are also available.

To get a reliable score:

1. Select the full text of the material
2. Run the readability check
3. Record the grade level score
4. Identify the sentences that are driving the score up
5. Revise those sentences
6. Run the check again

Aim for a sixth to eighth grade reading level for most patient education materials. Some audiences, such as patients with low health literacy or non-native English speakers, may need an even lower level.

Limitations of Readability Formulas

Readability formulas measure surface features of text. They do not measure:

• Whether the content is logically organized
• Whether the reader has the background knowledge to understand the concepts
• Whether the instructions are actionable
• Whether the format supports comprehension
• Whether the reader can apply the information to their situation

A document can score well on a readability formula and still fail in practice. The formula is a useful screening tool, but it cannot replace testing with real patients.

Common Failure Patterns in Patient Education Writing

Failure Pattern 1: Keeping Clinical Terms for "Accuracy"

Some writers resist replacing clinical terms because they worry about accuracy. They argue that "hypertension" is more precise than "high blood pressure" or that "myocardial infarction" is the correct diagnosis.

The problem is that precision means nothing if the patient cannot understand it. A patient who does not know what "hypertension" means cannot act on the information. The writer must choose language that the patient understands, even if it is less precise from a clinical standpoint.

When precision matters, use both terms. Write "high blood pressure, also called hypertension" so the patient learns the term while understanding the meaning.

Failure Pattern 2: Writing for the Clinician Instead of the Patient

Patient education materials are sometimes written to impress the clinician who requested them or to match the style of a medical journal. This produces documents that are accurate but useless to the intended reader.

The test of good patient education material is not whether a doctor approves of the language. The test is whether a patient can read it, understand it, and act on it. Write for the patient.

Failure Pattern 3: Information Overload

Patient education materials often try to include every fact about a condition or treatment. The result is a document that is so long and dense that patients do not read it.

Focus on what the patient needs to know to take the next action. Omit background information that does not affect the patient's decisions. Provide a phone number or website for patients who want more detail.

Failure Pattern 4: Ignoring the Emotional Context

A patient who just received a serious diagnosis is not reading at their usual level. Fear, anxiety, and stress all reduce comprehension. The writer must account for the emotional state of the reader.

Use a calm, direct tone. Avoid alarming language that increases anxiety without adding information. Provide clear next steps so the patient knows what to do.

Failure Pattern 5: No Testing

Many patient education materials are written, reviewed by clinicians, and distributed without ever being tested with the intended audience. The writers assume the material is clear because they understand it.

Testing with real patients is the only way to know whether the material works. Even a small test with five patients will reveal problems that the writers did not anticipate.

Records and Quality Control

Document Your Process

Keep records of the writing and testing process for each patient education material. This documentation serves multiple purposes:

• It shows that the material was developed with a quality process
• It provides evidence for regulatory or accreditation reviews
• It helps future writers understand what worked and what did not
• It supports continuous improvement of the materials

For each material, record:

• The date of development or revision
• The target audience and reading level
• The source clinical information
• The readability score
• The results of patient testing
• The revisions made based on testing

Establish a Review Process

Patient education materials should be reviewed by both clinical and non-clinical reviewers. The clinical reviewer checks for medical accuracy. The non-clinical reviewer checks for clarity and comprehension.

The review process should include:

1. Clinical accuracy review by a qualified professional
2. Plain language review by a writer or editor
3. Readability testing with the target audience
4. Final approval before distribution

Schedule Regular Reviews

Patient education materials become outdated as clinical practice changes. Schedule regular reviews of all materials to ensure they reflect current evidence and practice.

The review schedule depends on the topic. Materials about rapidly changing treatments may need annual review. Materials about stable conditions may need review every two to three years.

Professional Context for Medical Writing Careers

What Medical Writers Do

Medical writers translate complex scientific and clinical information into documents for different audiences. Patient education is one type of medical writing. Other types include regulatory documents, clinical study reports, journal articles, and marketing materials.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook describes the broader context of writing occupations and the education and training pathways that prepare people for writing careers. Technical writers, a related occupation, develop instruction manuals and supporting documents for complex products, which requires the same skill of translating technical information for a non-expert audience.

Skills Needed for Patient Education Writing

The core skills for patient education writing include:

• Ability to understand clinical and scientific information
• Ability to write in plain language
• Understanding of health literacy principles
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work with subject matter experts
• Understanding of readability metrics and testing methods

The O*NET OnLine database describes the tasks, skills, and knowledge required for technical writing occupations. These include writing technical materials, organizing material for readability, and working with subject matter experts to ensure accuracy. These same skills apply to patient education writing.

Career Pathways

Medical writing careers exist in many settings:

• Pharmaceutical and medical device companies
• Hospitals and health systems
• Health insurance companies
• Government agencies
• Nonprofit health organizations
• Medical communications agencies
• Academic medical centers

The National Institutes of Health Office of Intramural Training and Education provides professional development resources for researchers and science professionals. These resources support the communication skills that medical writers need.

The American Society for Microbiology Career Services offers career development resources for life science professionals, including those interested in science communication and writing.

For those interested in veterinary medicine, the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges provides information about veterinary education and career paths. Veterinary medicine also requires patient education skills, though the patient is the animal and the client is the owner.

Education and Training

Most medical writing positions require a bachelor's degree. Degrees in English, communications, biology, or a health science are common backgrounds. Some medical writers have advanced degrees in a science field or a health profession.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook notes that writing occupations typically require a bachelor's degree and strong writing skills. For medical writing specifically, employers often prefer candidates with a science background or experience in a healthcare setting.

Certification is available through professional organizations, though it is not universally required. Some employers prefer certified candidates, while others focus on experience and portfolio quality.

Building a Portfolio

A portfolio of patient education materials is essential for a medical writing career. Include examples that show:

• Ability to translate complex clinical information into plain language
• Understanding of different patient audiences
• Use of readability metrics and testing
• Ability to organize information for action

If you do not have professional samples, create sample materials based on public health information. Rewrite a public fact sheet in plain language and document your process.

Limitations and Professional Escalation

When to Escalate to a Clinician

Patient education writers must know their limits. The writer translates clinical information but does not create it. If the source material is unclear, incomplete, or contradictory, escalate to the clinician or subject matter expert.

Escalate when:

• The clinical source material contains conflicting information
• The writer does not understand the clinical content well enough to translate it
• The clinician requests language that the writer believes patients will not understand
• The material involves a new treatment or procedure with limited evidence
• The writer identifies a potential safety issue in the source material

When to Escalate to a Supervisor

Escalate to a supervisor when:

• The project scope is unclear
• The timeline is unrealistic for proper testing
• The resources for patient testing are not available
• There is disagreement about the appropriate reading level
• The material will be distributed without the recommended quality checks

Regulatory and Legal Context

Patient education materials may be subject to regulatory requirements depending on the setting and the type of material. Drug information for patients is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. Hospital patient education may be reviewed by accrediting bodies.

The writer should know the regulatory context for their specific setting. When in doubt, ask the compliance or regulatory affairs department. Do not assume that plain language principles override regulatory requirements.

Cultural and Language Considerations

Patient education materials should be appropriate for the cultural and linguistic background of the target audience. Materials written in English may need translation for non-English speaking patients. Translation is not the same as plain language writing. A translated document can still be too complex for the reader.

When developing materials for a specific cultural group, involve members of that community in the development and testing process. They can identify cultural assumptions and language issues that an outsider would miss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between plain language and simplified language?

Plain language means writing that is clear and easy to understand for the intended audience. It uses common words, short sentences, and logical organization. Simplified language is a specific approach that limits vocabulary and sentence structure for readers with very low literacy or limited language proficiency. Plain language is appropriate for most patient education materials. Simplified language may be needed for specific audiences such as non-native speakers or people with cognitive impairments.

How do I know what reading level to target?

Most health organizations recommend a sixth to eighth grade reading level for patient education materials. The actual target depends on your audience. If you are writing for a general patient population, aim for sixth grade. If you are writing for a specific group with known characteristics, adjust accordingly. Test the material with your actual audience to confirm that the level is appropriate.

Can I use readability formulas as my only quality check?

No. Readability formulas measure sentence length and word complexity, but they do not measure comprehension. A document can score at a low grade level and still be confusing. Always test the material with real patients or at least with a non-expert reviewer. Readability formulas are a screening tool, not a guarantee of quality.

What should I do when a clinician insists on using medical terms?

Explain that the goal of patient education is patient comprehension, not clinical precision. Offer to use both terms, such

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References and Further Reading

• Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• O*NET OnLine. U.S. Department of Labor.
• Office of Intramural Training and Education. National Institutes of Health.
• Careers at NSF. U.S. National Science Foundation.
• Career Services. American Society for Microbiology.
• AAVMC Career Resources. Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.
• NCBI Literature Resources. National Center for Biotechnology Information.
• PubMed. National Library of Medicine.

This article is educational and does not replace institutional policy, professional advice, or applicable safety and regulatory requirements.