AI tools like ChatGPT, Jasper and Claude are transforming the way health & medical writers approach brainstorming as well as writing.

Whether you’re tackling patient education materials, crafting content for healthcare providers or exploring new health topics, AI writing tools can help you generate fresh perspectives, identify missing information gaps and save time.

Read on to explore how AI supports health & medical writers in brainstorming, uncovering knowledge gaps and enhancing content creation (and learn some little-known ways AI can help with idea generation).

Why brainstorming matters in medical writing

Health writing demands clarity, empathy and accuracy. Before you can create impactful content, you need to:

• Understand your audience’s needs
• Address gaps in knowledge or common misconceptions
• Find creative ways to simplify complex topics.

Brainstorming is the foundation of this process, and using the right medical writing prompts can help make it more efficient and innovative.

Start with a clear brief

Every successful brainstorming session begins with a well-defined goal.

For example, imagine you’ve been tasked with creating a patient education leaflet about managing type 2 diabetes. The objective is to provide actionable advice, address misconceptions and empower patients to take charge of their health.

Key goals for this project might include:

• Identifying common knowledge gaps, such as myths about sugar or exercise
• Brainstorming ideas to make the content relatable, like using real-life examples or visuals
• Ensuring the information is easy to understand, even for those without a medical background.

Use AI prompts to jumpstart ideas

With a clear brief in mind, you can use AI to kickstart your brainstorming. Here’s an example prompt:

“Generate a list of potential ideas and key topics for a patient education leaflet about managing type 2 diabetes. Focus on identifying areas where patients commonly have knowledge gaps, such as:

• Misunderstandings about the role of sugar in their diet
• Challenges with medication adherence and monitoring
• Myths about exercise and its impact on blood sugar.

Suggest creative ways to explain these concepts clearly, and highlight opportunities to use visuals or anecdotes for better patient engagement.”

This prompt can provide a range of suggestions, from simplifying medical jargon to incorporating storytelling techniques.

How AI helps brainstorming

AI writing tools can help your brainstorming process in many creative ways.

Uncover knowledge gaps

AI can surface topics you might overlook, such as the emotional challenges of living with a condition, medication adherence or cultural factors affecting health decisions.

Here are some prompts to help you get started:

• List five emotional challenges of living with [health topic] and explain how to address them.
• What are three key emotional and psychological barriers to medication adherence?
• Which cultural factors influence health decisions for [health topic]?
• What are some often-overlooked aspects of patient care that could improve health outcomes for [health topic]?
• How do cultural beliefs shape patients’ health choices in [health topic]?

Offer new perspectives

AI can also suggest creative storytelling techniques, such as analogies or patient testimonials, to make your message more relatable. Here are some sample prompts:

• Suggest three analogies to explain the process of medication adherence in simple terms that resonate with patients.
• Recommend five ways to incorporate patient testimonials into content about managing [health topic].
• Provide three storytelling techniques that could make explaining the emotional impact of living with a chronic illness more relatable.
• Suggest a fresh way to explain the concept of informed consent using a metaphor that is easy for patients to understand.
• Generate examples of how cultural factors, like family dynamics or community beliefs, could be incorporated into a patient handout about [health topic] through storytelling.

And, of course, AI tools speed up idea generation in general, quickly providing ideas you can refine, saving you from the dreaded blank page

Little-known ways AI supports brainstorming

Beyond idea generation, AI offers unique ways to enhance your brainstorming process.

1. Analyse trends

Use AI to scan current conversations or FAQs about a topic to identify trending concerns or emerging questions.

• Example prompt: “Analyse recent online discussions about type 2 diabetes. Identify common concerns or misconceptions patients have.”

2. Create personas

Ask AI to develop patient personas based on demographic and health behaviour data, which can guide your tone and content.

• Prompt: “Create three patient personas for individuals managing type 2 diabetes, including their challenges, motivations and health literacy levels.”

3. Enhance visual planning

AI tools can suggest ideas for graphics or infographics that make your content more engaging. For example, a visual meal plate guide for diabetes-friendly diets.

• Prompt: “Propose five visual aids to explain key concepts for managing type 2 diabetes, like blood sugar monitoring or exercise benefits.”

4. Simulate reader feedback

AI can simulate questions or reactions your audience might have, helping you anticipate and address potential concerns.

• Prompt: “Simulate patient questions or feedback for a draft leaflet on managing type 2 diabetes. Highlight areas needing clarification.”

5. Explore cultural and emotional nuances

AI explores factors that might influence how readers perceive your content.

• Prompt: “Identify cultural or emotional factors affecting patients’ attitudes toward type 2 diabetes management. Suggest ways to address these in educational materials.”

Benefits of using AI in medical writing brainstorming

If you feel comfortable using AI in your brainstorming process, you’ll soon realise there are many benefits.

Remember that using AI writing tools isn’t “cheating”, though it’s important to be aware of the ethical considerations around using AI and your AI tool’s limitations. Three main benefits include:

• Efficiency: Generate ideas quickly and focus on refining the best ones.
• Creativity: Explore angles and solutions you might not think of on your own.
• Audience-centric content: Tailor your writing to real patient needs and concerns.

The final word on AI as your brainstorming partner

The best way to discover how AI can be your health writing brainstorming partner is to dive in and start! Try the prompts listed above or write your own. You’ll quickly see how AI can help you generate insightful, engaging and impactful content – all while making the brainstorming and writing process more enjoyable.