Learn how to write patient education materials with confidence and clarity
Writing patient education materials and explaining complex health topics for patients, friends and carers isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. How much information should you give? How do you know if you’re answering your readers’ key questions?
If you struggle to write effective patient material, this short course is for you. Discover how to plan, structure and write patient educational materials that your readers understand, remember and act on. Learn how and why the language you choose is essential, and master the art of writing material that improves your readers’ health literacy. Better patient handouts create better health outcomes in your communities.
This course is:
- Available on demand – from March 2021
- Easy to follow – with lessons covering the essential techniques you need to know
- Delivered as a series of podcasts AND text modules – so you can learn in your preferred style.
Hi there – I’m Michelle Guillemard, your teacher.
I created the How to Write Patient Education Materials course to help you write useful, engaging and readable patient education materials that answer the key questions all patients, family, friends and carers need to know. Since 2014, thousands of aspiring writers and health professionals have enhanced their health & medical writing skills with me.
Keen to join in? Read on to find out more about How to Write Patient Education Materials!
What’s included?
Industry-leading resources to help you write high-quality patient handouts and educational materials.
- 12 comprehensive lessons (audio lectures AND text modules) meeting the core learning objectives
- 14+ free health writing webinars to enhance your learning objectives
- Homework questions to help you reflect and put the learnings into practice
- Personalised feedback and all your questions answered
- Lively student-only Facebook group of 720+ writers
- Lifetime access so you can dive back in whenever you need a refresher
- Loyalty discounts giving you 30% off every other course
- World-class eLearning platform for a seamless learning experience.
Course curriculum
How to Write Patient Education Materials includes 12 lessons full of best-practice advice you can start using today.
Part 1: Understanding patient education materials
What are patient education materials?
Gain an understanding of the purpose of patient education materials, explore the difference between education and promotion, and learn about the wide variety of patient handout options.
The importance of defining the ideal reader of your patient material.
Discover how and why educating patients involves understanding their needs and key questions.
Planning and context.
Learn how to effectively plan your patient education material and consider the key factors that influence your writing choices, such as format and context.
Part 2: Structure and research
How to structure a patient handout (with templates).
Determine the most appropriate structure for your patient education materials. Explore a variety of options for effective structure and get templates to help you write your patient education materials.
Conducting effective research for your patient handout.
Books, journal articles, websites or interviews? Learn the key sources you should rely on – and those you should avoid – when you’re researching for your patient handout.
Part 3: Language and engagement
People, not patients – using the right language.
The language you use in your writing can engage or alienate your readers, so discover how to help – not harm – your readers’ comprehension.
Improving health literacy.
Explore the relationship between health literacy and patient education and learn techniques to help improve your readers’ health literacy skills.
How to write readable patient education materials.
Discover the essential readability techniques that will ensure your handout is easy to read, understand, follow and remember.
How to write original, engaging content.
There are so many patient education materials online, so how can you make yours different? Learn strategies for creating unique content about common topics.
Part 4: Future strategies
Referencing options.
Discover how to effectively reference your handouts and materials in both online and offline formats.
Effective editing and proofreading strategies.
Learn how to edit and proofread your work efficiently – even when you have limited time.
Next steps and resources.
Consolidate all the techniques in this course and develop strategies to monitor your materials in the future.
Extras: COVID-19 and healthcare communication (new)
With the pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, there’s never been a more significant time to learn about effective health communication. Communicating about COVID-19 is a topic that ALL health writers need to know about, as it will be a feature of health communication for years to come. To help you learn more about COVID-19 and responsible health communication, I’ve developed a dedicated resources page, updated regularly, which is included in your course.
BONUS CONTENT!
FREE access to the Health Writer Hub Alumni Webinar Library
- 14 webinars to enhance your learning objectives
- Watch on-demand with lifetime access
- 10+ hours of online learning included for free
- Learn about freelance writing, finding work and writing tips with webinar topics covering quoting for jobs, finding clients, CV writing, finding employed work, website essentials, subcontracting, marketing and more!
What are the opportunities after I complete the How to Write Patient Education Materials course?
After you complete How to Write Patient Education Materials, you will have:
- Writing skills to help you write useful, engaging and readable patient handouts
- Confidence to write health content that answers the questions patients are asking
- Knowledge and templates to help you write high-quality health content in future.
How does How to Write Patient Education Materials work?
Here’s what you can expect.
As soon as you register for How to Write Patient Education Materials, you can log in and start working through the course. How to Write Patient Education Materials includes 12 comprehensive lessons. Each lesson contains easy-to-implement techniques, strategies and processes. You can also email your teacher, at any time, if you have questions.
Your industry expert
Who I am, and why I want to help you succeed.
Hi – I’m Michelle Guillemard, founder of Health Writer Hub (you can read more about me here).
When I launched Health Writer Hub in 2014, I aimed to create a best-practice resource to empower health writers to develop their skills, grow their careers and improve the quality of health content on the web.
Writing patient education materials isn’t easy. There’s so much content online, and how do you know what patients need to know? In How to Write Patient Education Materials, I show you how to write a useful, engaging and readable handout that will help your readers improve their health literacy and manage their health. I’ve written hundreds of patient handouts and websites about all kinds of health topics – from heart and lung disease to cancer and mental health. I created this course to help professionals AND aspiring health writers create better patient handouts and, therefore, better health in your communities.
If you’re ready to learn effective techniques for writing patient handouts and information, How to Write Patient Education Materials is the course for you!
My teaching method.
I teach this course, and all my courses, through a combination of audio lectures (podcast style) and text resources. I also offer a range of video content, including bonus webinars and regular student interviews.
After experimenting with different combinations over the years and listening to student feedback, I am confident that delivering lectures in both audio AND text format is the most effective way for you to learn health writing in an online class environment.
While it’s up to you how you consume the content, you are welcome to:
- listen and read the transcripts at the same time
- listen and take your own notes
- listen away from your computer
- read the transcripts only.
Many students have told me that they like to listen to the lectures while driving, walking, hiking, running or cleaning the house – and, that’s fine as well!
Join a supportive group of like-minded health writers
When you join How to Write Patient Education Materials, you become a member of the Health Writer Hub Alumni – a smart, diverse and friendly community of 750+ health writers from around the world. Alumni benefits include:
- Loyalty discounts – 30% off any other Health Writer Hub course
- Weekly challenges – goals to keep you motivated and accountable
- Student interviews – learn the ropes from experienced students
- Extra group calls – monthly group chats with other Alumni
- Global networking – connect with health writers from around the world
- A supportive network of health writers – ask questions and share advice
- Immediate access – join the group as soon as you sign up.
Frequently asked questions
What you need to know.
Student feedback
Read 100+ student reviews of other Health Writer Hub courses.