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.
While these brochures are a powerful advertising tool, their main role should be education. Ensure that you dedicate at least 80% of it to educating the patient. You can use the remaining 20% to promote your facility. Patients who feel informed by the material are likely to remain loyal to the facility even in the absence of direct suggestions.
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.
The format chosen will also determine, to a large extent, the readability of your brochure. A commonly used format is that of titles and subtitles. Titles address the main topic while subtitles deal with smaller issues under this topic. In the case of diabetes, for example, the topics may include causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and so on. Subtitles under treatment may include, drugs, physical exercise, diet modification and so on. Question and answer format is also popular.
The message should always be tailored to the needs of the target audience. At times, the group of patients you wish to address yourself to may be so large and heterogeneous with varying needs. Segmentation becomes an important activity in such a case since it allows one to have smaller groups that share similar concerns. Segmentation is usually done based on factors such as age, gender, medical condition and social status among others.
Simplicity increases readability. Make sure that the level of vocabulary that is chosen can be understood by your audience. The sentences should ideally be short, concise and straight to the point. Too much detail may cause the readers to lose interest easily and should be avoided. If you feel compelled to discuss various aspects of medical conditions in a lot more detail then the best thing to do would be to develop separate brochures for the same.
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.
For a person that feels that they are too busy or have no adequate skills and knowledge, outsourcing the process is an option. The agency that takes up this responsibility will conduct client interviews on your behalf, design the brochure and create the content required. Although the process may be quite expensive, it has the advantage of allowing you to carry on with your normal routine uninterrupted.
While these brochures are a powerful advertising tool, their main role should be education. Ensure that you dedicate at least 80% of it to educating the patient. You can use the remaining 20% to promote your facility. Patients who feel informed by the material are likely to remain loyal to the facility even in the absence of direct suggestions.
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.
The format chosen will also determine, to a large extent, the readability of your brochure. A commonly used format is that of titles and subtitles. Titles address the main topic while subtitles deal with smaller issues under this topic. In the case of diabetes, for example, the topics may include causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and so on. Subtitles under treatment may include, drugs, physical exercise, diet modification and so on. Question and answer format is also popular.
The message should always be tailored to the needs of the target audience. At times, the group of patients you wish to address yourself to may be so large and heterogeneous with varying needs. Segmentation becomes an important activity in such a case since it allows one to have smaller groups that share similar concerns. Segmentation is usually done based on factors such as age, gender, medical condition and social status among others.
Simplicity increases readability. Make sure that the level of vocabulary that is chosen can be understood by your audience. The sentences should ideally be short, concise and straight to the point. Too much detail may cause the readers to lose interest easily and should be avoided. If you feel compelled to discuss various aspects of medical conditions in a lot more detail then the best thing to do would be to develop separate brochures for the same.
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.
For a person that feels that they are too busy or have no adequate skills and knowledge, outsourcing the process is an option. The agency that takes up this responsibility will conduct client interviews on your behalf, design the brochure and create the content required. Although the process may be quite expensive, it has the advantage of allowing you to carry on with your normal routine uninterrupted.
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