Your Materials Must Meet the Patient's Needs

Patients need to be convinced that the medication will help them, and that it's important to take it exactly as prescribed.

Effective patient information:

Contains practical information. Is written in language the patient can understand. Can be used easily by physicians, pharmacists, and patients. Convinces the patient to fill the prescription and take it correctly. Helps patients manage complicated dosage times and side effects.

The average consumer reads between the 6^th and 8^th grade levels. Yet studies show that most patient education materials are written at the 9^th grade to college reading level. This means patients can't understand them.

Researchers evaluating patient comprehension found consumers couldn't understand many of the medical terms used in patient education materials.

No wonder many consumers ignore pamphlets and package inserts.