Simplifying Complex Information in Healthcare UX

YES, health literacy includes disease state education and medication education. But it’s also SO much more than that. A quick reminder: personal health literacy is “the degree to which individuals have the ability to ⭐️ FIND, UNDERSTAND, and USE ⭐️ information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.” 🔎 FIND relates to availability and access — and not just availability of and access to information, but access to people, technology, and systems that provide the information and services needed to inform health-related decisions. Examples of health literacy that support with FINDING: 🔹 Designing search engine optimized — or generative engine optimized — content so patients can find high-quality answers to their health questions 🔹 Providing clinic information in multiple formats (e.g., print, digital, SMS) so patients can easily access basic info like directions, hours, and contact details 🔹 Building intuitive websites or patient portals with simple (!!!) navigation 🧠 UNDERSTANDING refers to an ability to comprehend the information and services they have access to. Once an individual finds or receives information, can they understand it EASILY? Do they know what the services are for and how they can be beneficial? The information component of "understanding" is the most common interpretation of health literacy, but is sometimes most narrowly applied. So while examples do broadly include disease state or medication education… Additional and more specific examples of health literacy that support with UNDERSTANDING include: 🔹 Using visuals, infographics, and analogies to simplify complex health concepts 🔹 Offering translation and interpretation services + multilingual resources 🔹 Creating segmented, culturally relevant educational materials that reflect the beliefs, values, and lived experiences of your patient population 🔹 Performing demonstrations to help patients correctly use tools such as inhalers, self-injections, finger pricks, monitors, etc. 🔹 Publishing clear yet detailed descriptions of various services available through your institution 🛠️ USE drives home the point that just because someone has access to and comprehends information doesn’t mean they know how to apply it in order to make informed decisions. Examples of health literacy that support with USING: 🔹 Helping patients create action plans for managing chronic diseases with step-by-step instructions 🔹 Simplifying forms and appointment systems so patients can actually use their insurance benefits, schedule care, or request records 🔹 Building feedback loops where patients can ask questions or clarify confusion after their visit (and actually receive prompt responses 👀) What other examples or ideas would you add to either of these 3 main categories? #healthliteracy #patientexperience

There’s a well-known series by Picasso where he sketches a bull - again and again - each time removing detail. The first drawing is complex and realistic. The last is minimal, almost abstract, but still unmistakably a bull. The lesson? Simplicity isn’t the absence of complexity. It’s the result of deep understanding. Advance care planning is emotionally loaded and inherently difficult. The decisions are hard enough on their own. If the technology guiding that process is clunky or overwhelming, most people will give up before they finish. That’s why, across the industry, ACP completion rates tend to hover between 2 to 7%,  and often lower in underserved populations. At Koda Health, 85% of patients who create an account on our platform complete the ACP process. And it’s not because our users are unusually motivated. It’s because we’ve designed every inch of the platform around a single goal: remove friction. Most of our patients are in their late 70s. For them, every extra click, every unfamiliar term, every “optional” detour adds cognitive load. Flashy designs and interfaces that signal 'cutting-edge' can actually become barriers - making patients feel wary and uncertain at the exact moment they need clarity and calm." And when you’re already navigating serious illness or major life decisions, that complexity can be what stops you in your tracks. Simplicity isn’t about dumbing things down. It’s about making space for clarity, confidence, and follow-through. So yes, Koda looks simple. But behind the curtain, the complexity is still there—handled quietly and intentionally, so that users never feel it. The tech does the heavy lifting, so that patients can focus on the decisions at hand. We don’t always talk about simplicity as a competitive edge in healthcare. But maybe we should!

Lets talk #Plainlanguage 📝 "Just make it simple" isn't enough. Here's how I transformed complex medical content for real patient understanding for a client: Original: "The pharmacological intervention demonstrated statistically significant glycemic control improvement." Better: "The medicine helped people control their blood sugar levels." Best: "This medicine helped lower blood sugar levels in 8 out of 10 people who took it." Key elements: - Active voice - Clear numbers - Real outcomes - Human focus - Patient and caregiver's-centered Remember: Plain language and clear writing save lives. What's your go-to strategy for simplifying medical content? #HealthLiteracy #MedicalWriting #PatientEducation #Plainlangauge #KJCMediahealth #Medcomm #FreelanceMedicalWriter

Let me tell you a story. A 45-year-old woman with diabetes goes to her doctor. The visit lasts 15 minutes, and she leaves with instructions to “manage her A1C,” “adjust her insulin dose,” and “monitor her blood glucose.” She nods, takes the printout, and walks out feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what any of it means. At home, she skips doses, thinking less insulin means her sugar won’t drop too low. Or she starts to check her blood glucose but doesn’t really know what the numbers mean. By her next visit, her condition has worsened. Or a patient with hypertension is given 3 month supply of medication. He stops taking it when medicine is gone and doesn’t refill it since no one told him he will need to take for rest of life. This happens every day. Why? Because healthcare often talks at patients, not with them. We fail to meet people where they are, using terms and concepts they don’t understand. Now imagine this: During her visit, an AI-powered tool listens in real-time and generates a simple, personalized care summary for her: • “Your blood sugar is too high. Let’s work to lower it to a healthy range.” • “Here’s what to eat more of (and less of) to help with that.” • “Take your insulin like this: 10 units in the morning and 10 before dinner.” When she gets home, the same tool checks in via an app: • “How’s your energy today? Don’t forget to take your insulin before dinner.” • “Here’s a quick video explaining how insulin works and why it matters.” Suddenly, she’s not alone. She’s empowered. As a physician who leads at WebMD, I’ve seen how much patients crave clarity. AI gives us the chance to simplify the complex, personalize care, and turn confusion into confidence. It’s not about replacing doctors—it’s about amplifying their ability to truly connect with patients. The question is: Why aren’t we using this kind of technology as part of our clinical strategies ? How can we equip them to take control of their health? What’s one area where you think AI could help patients better understand their care? Let’s discuss! #healthcommunication #aihealth #healthliteracy #healthtech #chatbots