Patient Communication and Health Literacy

The Comprehension Gap

A cardiologist carefully explains to a patient that they need to “adhere to a low-sodium diet to manage their hypertension and reduce the risk of adverse cardiovascular events.”

The patient nods, smiles, and goes home. A week later, they’re eating canned soup every day because nobody told them – in words they understood – that “low-sodium” means “less salt, including hidden salt in packaged foods.”

This isn’t a rare scenario. It happens constantly. The gap between what healthcare providers say and what patients understand is one of the biggest barriers to good outcomes.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you’ll know how to use AI to write at specific reading levels, simplify complex medical information without losing accuracy, and create patient communications that build understanding and trust.

From Clinical Training to Patient Language

Your clinical training taught you precision. You learned the exact medical terminology for every condition, procedure, and outcome. That precision is essential for communicating with colleagues.

But patients didn’t go to medical school. And the language that makes you precise with colleagues makes you incomprehensible to patients.

AI bridges this gap. It’s remarkably good at translating between registers – taking complex clinical language and producing clear, readable content at whatever level you specify.

Understanding Health Literacy Levels

Health literacy isn’t just about reading ability. It encompasses understanding health information, navigating healthcare systems, and making informed decisions.

The numbers are sobering:

• 36% of U.S. adults have basic or below-basic health literacy
• Even highly literate adults process unfamiliar health information at lower levels when they’re stressed, in pain, or scared
• The average American reads at a 7th-8th grade level
• The AMA recommends patient materials at a 5th-7th grade level

What reading levels look like in practice:

Notice that each version is accurate. Simpler doesn’t mean less correct – it means more accessible.

Quick Check

Look at a piece of patient education you’ve recently given out. Could a 12-year-old understand it? If not, it’s probably too complex for many of your patients.

Your First Health Literacy Prompt

Here’s a prompt that transforms clinical language into patient-friendly content:

AI: "Rewrite the following clinical information for a patient
audience. Target a 6th-grade reading level.

Rules:
- Use short sentences (under 15 words when possible)
- Replace medical jargon with plain language
- Include the medical term in parentheses the first time
  it appears, so patients recognize it on forms and labels
- Use 'you' and 'your' to speak directly to the patient
- Break complex ideas into simple steps
- Use bullet points for lists of instructions

Clinical information:
[Paste your clinical text here]"

Example input: “Patient is to continue metformin 500mg BID with meals for glycemic control. Monitor for GI side effects including nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort. Report any symptoms of lactic acidosis including muscle pain, weakness, and difficulty breathing.”

Example AI output: “Your diabetes medicine – metformin (met-FOR-min):

• Take one 500mg pill twice a day, with breakfast and dinner
• Always take it with food to avoid an upset stomach

Watch for these common side effects:

• Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea)
• Loose stools (diarrhea)
• Belly pain or discomfort These usually get better after a few weeks.

Call your doctor right away if you notice:

• Muscle pain or weakness that won’t go away
• Trouble breathing
• Feeling very tired or dizzy

These could be signs of a rare but serious side effect.”

The Simplification Safety Check

AI can oversimplify. When you simplify medical information, always verify:

Critical details preserved?

• Dosage and timing: “twice a day with meals” not just “take regularly”
• Warning signs: specific symptoms, not vague “feel bad”
• Action steps: “call your doctor” vs. “go to the ER” – which one is correct?
• Conditions: “with food” or “on an empty stomach” – these matter

Nothing added that’s incorrect?

• AI sometimes adds reassuring language that isn’t clinically appropriate
• “This is nothing to worry about” might not be true
• Check that AI hasn’t minimized legitimate concerns

Cultural sensitivity intact?

• Does the language respect diverse backgrounds?
• Are food examples culturally relevant?
• Are family structures acknowledged appropriately?

Communicating Bad News and Sensitive Topics

Some patient communications aren’t just about clarity – they’re about compassion. AI can help you draft these difficult messages while you add the human warmth.

AI: "Help me write a compassionate explanation for a patient
who has just been diagnosed with [condition].

The explanation should:
- Acknowledge their emotions first
- Explain what this means in simple language (6th grade level)
- Outline what happens next (specific steps)
- Offer hope where appropriate without minimizing the seriousness
- End with an invitation to ask questions
- Be warm but honest

Key medical facts to include:
- [Fact 1]
- [Fact 2]
- [Fact 3]

Tone: Like a trusted friend who happens to be a medical expert."

This gives you a draft. You then add your knowledge of this specific patient, their support system, and their emotional state. The AI handles the structure and reading level; you provide the human judgment.

Quick Check

Think about the last time you had to deliver difficult news to a patient. What took the most time – finding the right words, or making the clinical decisions? AI helps with the “right words” part.

Multilingual Patient Communication

Many healthcare workers serve patients who speak different languages. While AI translation isn’t a substitute for certified medical interpreters, it can help you:

AI: "I need to create a patient handout about post-surgical
wound care. Please create versions in:

1. English (6th grade reading level)
2. Spanish (simple, clear language)
3. Simplified Chinese (simple, clear language)

Important: These are for supplemental reference only,
not as substitutes for interpreter services.

Include:
- How to keep the wound clean
- Signs of infection to watch for
- When to call the doctor
- When to go to the emergency room"

Important caveat: AI-generated translations should be verified by a fluent speaker before clinical use. Use these as supplements to interpreter services, not replacements.

Phone and Message Scripts

Healthcare increasingly involves phone calls, patient portal messages, and telehealth. AI can help you prepare:

For phone calls:

AI: "Create a phone script for calling a patient about
abnormal lab results.

Context: [Type of results, what's abnormal, how abnormal]
Next steps: [What the patient needs to do]
Reading level: Use simple, clear language

Include:
- How to open the call (warm, identifying yourself)
- How to share the information (direct but compassionate)
- What to tell them to do next
- How to close (checking understanding, invitation to call back)
- What to do if you reach voicemail (HIPAA-compliant message)"

For patient portal messages:

AI: "Write a patient portal message responding to a patient's
question about [topic].

Their question: [Paste or summarize]

My response should:
- Be warm and professional
- Answer in plain language (6th grade level)
- Include specific next steps if needed
- Encourage them to call if they have more questions
- Be under 150 words (portal messages should be concise)"

Building a Communication Template Library

Over time, you’ll create templates you use repeatedly. Organize them by scenario:

Template categories to build:

• Medication explanations (one per common medication)
• Condition overviews (diabetes, hypertension, COPD, etc.)
• Procedure preparation instructions
• Post-procedure care instructions
• Follow-up appointment reminders
• Lab result communication scripts
• Referral explanation letters

Start with the three scenarios you handle most often. Build one template this week, refine it through use, and add more over time.

Checking Readability

After AI generates content, verify the reading level:

AI: "Analyze the reading level of this patient handout.
Tell me:
1. Approximate grade level
2. Any sentences that are too long or complex
3. Medical jargon that slipped through
4. Suggestions to simplify further

[Paste your handout]"

This double-check catches the occasional complex sentence or jargon term that AI included despite your instructions.

Exercise: Create Your First Patient Communication

Choose one of these scenarios (or use your own):

1. Explain a new diabetes diagnosis to a patient with limited health literacy
2. Write discharge instructions for a patient going home after a minor procedure
3. Create a medication guide for a patient starting a blood thinner

Use the health literacy prompt from this lesson. Then review the output using the simplification safety check.

Compare AI’s output to materials you’ve previously given patients. Is it clearer? More organized? At a more appropriate reading level?

Key Takeaways

• Most patient materials should target a 5th-7th grade reading level
• AI excels at translating clinical language into plain language
• Always check simplified content for clinical accuracy – oversimplification is the main risk
• Include medical terms in parentheses so patients can recognize them elsewhere
• Compassionate communication can be drafted by AI and personalized by you
• Build a template library over time, starting with your most common scenarios
• AI translations supplement but never replace certified medical interpreters

Next lesson: We’ll tackle clinical documentation – the single biggest time drain for most healthcare workers. You’ll learn to draft notes, summaries, and reports in a fraction of the time.