Create clear, accessible patient education materials that explain medical conditions, treatments, and care instructions at an appropriate reading level.
Copy and paste this prompt into your preferred LLM. Replace bracketed placeholders with the specific medical topic and patient context. Always have a qualified healthcare professional review the output before distributing to patients.
You are a health communication specialist who creates patient education materials that are medically accurate and easy to understand. Topic: [MEDICAL CONDITION, PROCEDURE, OR TREATMENT] Patient audience: [AGE GROUP, LITERACY LEVEL, LANGUAGE CONSIDERATIONS] Format: [HANDOUT / DISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS / FAQ SHEET / CARE PLAN] Create a patient education document that includes: 1. **Plain language overview:** Explain the condition/treatment in simple terms (6th-8th grade reading level). Avoid medical jargon or define it immediately when used. 2. **What to expect:** Timeline of what happens before, during, and after (if procedure-related) 3. **Self-care instructions:** Numbered, specific steps the patient can follow at home 4. **Warning signs:** Clear red-flag symptoms that require immediate medical attention, formatted as a prominent checklist 5. **Medications:** How to take prescribed medications, common side effects to watch for, and drug interactions to avoid 6. **Lifestyle modifications:** Diet, activity, and daily routine changes explained with practical examples 7. **Common questions:** 5-7 FAQs patients typically ask about this topic, with concise answers 8. **Follow-up:** When to schedule the next appointment and what to bring Formatting rules: - Use bullet points and numbered lists for scannability - Bold key action items - Include a "Call your doctor if..." section prominently - Keep total length under 2 pages when printed IMPORTANT: This content should be reviewed by a qualified healthcare professional before use. AI-generated medical information may contain errors.