How to Present Negative Medical News in a Positive Light by Resources that can be used to create informative materials that will help connect with patients to impart knowledge and increase compliances with prescribed therapies and follow-up.
Plain language is communication your audience can understand the first time they read or hear it. Written material is in plain language if your audience can:
Adhere to these guidelines, from plainlanguage.gov, when trying to convey information through plain language:
From Plainlanguage.gov.
This communication strategy is specifically designed to help build rapport and solicit or encourage feedback from the patient. The intended goal of this model is to increase patient receptiveness towards receiving information or advice from their physician. Rather than delivering information in a manner that may overwhelm the patient either emotionally or mentally, health providers should:
Used to assess patients needs. or ask for permission to share information.
Be sure to assess the patient's physical and emotional state, their knowledge and understanding of their condition, diagnosis, or prognosis, and their level of health literacy.
Used to deliver information to the patient in a respectful and clear manner. Doing so in small amounts may help the patient take in the information that is being shared.
Used to determine the patient's understanding, emotional reactions, and concerns.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), risk communication is the "Exchange of real-time information, advice, and opinions between experts and people facing threats to their health, economic or social well-being." The goal of successful risk communication is to promote better decision making choices for the patient. Forms in which risk communication can be disseminated includes media, social media, mass communication, and community engagement.
For the healthcare provider, risk communication is a critical component of shared decision making and evidence-based patient choice. Tailored information, consultation summaries, decision aids, and evidence-based leaflets are all effective methods for communicating risk to patients that can be easily adapted to suit a wide variety of patients.
Blend words and numbers -- be sure to utilize numbers in your conversations with patients rather than terms such as "common", "low risk", and "rare." In general, you should use a combination of words and numbers to convey important details to your patients.
Utilize common words and terms while limiting the use of numbers -- utilize common, every-day terminology when describing key concepts and information. Don't overwhelm patient with vague numerical values; be precise and exact. Try rounding up to whole numbers whenever possible.
Stay consistent -- use the same denominators and time frames when comparing numbers.
Elaborate -be sure to provide clear estimated numbers. Avoid explaining risks in solely descriptive terms such as "low risk" or "common".
Do the math -- run calculations for your patients. Hard numbers are going to be more effective than middling descriptions or summarized figures.
Consider cultural differences -- consider your patient's background. Would they prefer U.S Standard measurements or the Metric system?
Adapted from the Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries: Health Literacy: Risk Communication.
Visual communication, such as illustrations, images, info-graphics, and videos, can help patients gain a better understanding of health information. They can help clarify messages,. as well as reinforce verbal or written instructions. For effective visual communication, be sure to consider the following recommendations:
