Plain Language in Healthcare: What Lawyers Need to Know About Health Literacy

Abstract

Low health literacy is a problem that impacts many. How providers, insurers, drug companies, and healthcare organizations communicate with patients is critical for patients to be able to comply with treatment regimens and to be able to make informed decisions. Lawyers play an important role in this. Through our role as counsel, we can do much to help create clear, health-literate materials and develop processes that not only better protect organizations, but also explain health information to patients in ways that they can more easily understand. Simply put, we can create win-wins. This article will show you how.

Keywords: plain language, clarity, clear communication, health law, health literacy, patient-centered care, legal documents, contract drafting, informed consent