Patient Education Skill

Generate accessible, culturally-appropriate patient education materials. Designed to improve health literacy, treatment adherence, and patient engagement across diverse populations.

Overview

This skill enables clinical AI agents to:

• Create condition-specific education materials
• Adapt content to appropriate reading levels
• Generate multi-language content (English, Hindi)
• Produce visual aids and infographics
• Support shared decision-making conversations
• Improve medication and treatment adherence

Reading Level Adaptation

Target Reading Levels

| Level | Grade Equivalent | Use Case | |-------|-----------------|----------| | Basic | 4th-6th grade | General patient materials | | Standard | 7th-9th grade | Most patient education | | Advanced | 10th-12th grade | Detailed explanations | | Professional | College+ | Caregiver/family with medical background |

Plain Language Guidelines

Do:

• Use short sentences (15-20 words max)
• Choose common words over medical jargon
• Define necessary medical terms when used
• Use active voice
• Include examples and analogies
• Break information into chunks
• Use bullet points and headers

Don't:

• Use abbreviations without explanation
• Include unnecessary detail
• Assume prior medical knowledge
• Use complex sentence structures
• Present too much information at once

Example: Blood Pressure Explanation

Medical Language: "Hypertension is characterized by persistently elevated arterial blood pressure, typically defined as systolic ≥130 mmHg or diastolic ≥80 mmHg."

Plain Language (6th grade): "High blood pressure means the force of blood pushing against your blood vessel walls is too strong. Think of it like water pressure in a hose - if it's too high, it can damage the hose over time. A healthy blood pressure is less than 130/80."

Condition-Specific Education Modules

Diabetes Education

Core Topics:

1. What is diabetes?
2. Blood sugar monitoring
3. Medication management
4. Healthy eating basics
5. Physical activity
6. Foot care
7. Warning signs (high/low sugar)
8. When to seek help

Example: Hypoglycemia Education

LOW BLOOD SUGAR (HYPOGLYCEMIA)

What is low blood sugar?
Low blood sugar happens when your blood sugar drops below 70.
This can make you feel unwell and needs quick treatment.

Warning signs to watch for:
• Shaking or trembling
• Sweating
• Fast heartbeat
• Feeling dizzy or confused
• Feeling very hungry
• Headache

What to do (Rule of 15):
1. Eat or drink 15 grams of fast sugar:
   - 4 glucose tablets OR
   - 4 ounces (half cup) juice OR
   - 4 ounces regular soda (not diet) OR
   - 1 tablespoon honey or sugar

2. Wait 15 minutes

3. Check your blood sugar again:
   - If still below 70, repeat step 1
   - If above 70, eat a snack with protein

When to call your doctor:
• Low blood sugar happens often
• You pass out or cannot treat yourself
• Your blood sugar stays low after treatment

EMERGENCY: Call 108 if you cannot wake someone up
or they are having a seizure

Heart Disease Education

Core Topics:

1. Understanding your heart condition
2. Medications and why they matter
3. Diet: low sodium, heart-healthy foods
4. Physical activity guidelines
5. Warning signs of heart attack
6. When to go to the hospital

Mental Health Education

Core Topics:

1. Understanding your diagnosis
2. How therapy works
3. Medication information
4. Coping skills and self-care
5. Building support systems
6. Crisis resources
7. Reducing stigma

Multi-Language Support

Hindi Language Materials

Provide parallel content in Hindi with:

• Culturally appropriate examples
• Local food and lifestyle references
• Respectful and accessible tone
• Transliteration for medical terms

Example: Diabetes Basics (Hindi)

मधुमेह (DIABETES) क्या है?

मधुमेह एक ऐसी स्थिति है जिसमें आपके खून में शुगर (चीनी)
का स्तर बहुत ज़्यादा हो जाता है।

सामान्य खून में शुगर का स्तर:
• खाली पेट: 70-100 mg/dL
• खाने के बाद: 140 mg/dL से कम

मधुमेह के लक्षण:
• बार-बार पेशाब आना
• बहुत प्यास लगना
• थकान महसूस होना
• धुंधला दिखाई देना
• घाव देर से भरना

मधुमेह को नियंत्रित करने के लिए:
1. दवाई नियमित लें
2. स्वस्थ भोजन खाएं
3. रोज़ व्यायाम करें
4. अपना शुगर लेवल जांचें
5. डॉक्टर से नियमित मिलें

आपातकालीन स्थिति में 108 पर कॉल करें

Code-Switching Support

For patients who use Hindi-English mixed communication:

DIABETES MANAGEMENT के TIPS

1. Regular blood sugar CHECK करें
   - Fasting में 70-100 होना चाहिए
   - Meals के बाद 140 से कम

2. Medicines TIME पर लें
   - Doctor ने जो DOSE बताया वही लें
   - कभी खुद से STOP न करें

3. DIET का ध्यान रखें
   - White rice कम खाएं
   - Roti, दाल, सब्जियां अच्छी हैं
   - Sweets और cold drinks AVOID करें

4. EXERCISE रोज़ करें
   - 30 minutes walk daily
   - Morning या evening जब convenient हो

Visual Aids and Infographics

Design Principles

1. Simple layouts - Avoid cluttered designs
2. Clear icons - Universal symbols where possible
3. Limited colors - Use for emphasis, not decoration
4. Large text - Minimum 12pt for print materials
5. White space - Allow visual breathing room
6. Logical flow - Left to right, top to bottom

Infographic Templates

Medication Schedule Chart:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│         MY DAILY MEDICATIONS            │
├─────────────┬─────────┬─────────┬───────┤
│  Medicine   │ Morning │ Evening │ Night │
├─────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼───────┤
│ Metformin   │   ✓     │    ✓    │       │
│ Lisinopril  │   ✓     │         │       │
│ Atorvastatin│         │         │   ✓   │
└─────────────┴─────────┴─────────┴───────┘

Warning Signs Poster:

⚠️ WHEN TO CALL THE DOCTOR

Call your doctor if you have:
□ Fever above 100.4°F (38°C)
□ Pain that doesn't get better
□ New or worsening symptoms
□ Side effects from medicine
□ Questions about your care

🚨 GO TO EMERGENCY (CALL 108) IF:
□ Chest pain or trouble breathing
□ Sudden weakness or confusion
□ Severe bleeding
□ Cannot wake someone up

Shared Decision-Making Support

Decision Aid Components

1. What is the decision? - Clear framing
2. What are my options? - All reasonable choices
3. What are the benefits and risks? - Balanced information
4. What matters most to me? - Values clarification
5. What questions do I have? - Encourage engagement

Example: Treatment Option Comparison

COMPARING YOUR OPTIONS FOR [CONDITION]

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OPTION 1: Medication                                   │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Benefits:                                              │
│ • Often works well                                     │
│ • Can start right away                                 │
│ • Covered by most insurance                            │
│                                                        │
│ Risks:                                                 │
│ • Possible side effects                                │
│ • Need to take daily                                   │
│ • May need to try different ones                       │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ OPTION 2: Lifestyle changes only                       │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Benefits:                                              │
│ • No medication side effects                           │
│ • Good for overall health                              │
│ • Can do with or without medicine                      │
│                                                        │
│ Risks:                                                 │
│ • May take longer to see results                       │
│ • Requires daily commitment                            │
│ • May not be enough alone                              │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Questions to ask your doctor:
• Which option do you recommend for me?
• How long before I see improvement?
• What happens if this doesn't work?

Adherence Support Materials

Medication Reminders

Create personalized reminder content:

• Why this medication matters
• How to take it correctly
• Common side effects and what to do
• What to do if you miss a dose

Barrier-Specific Solutions

| Barrier | Solution Content | |---------|-----------------| | Forgetting | Reminder strategies, pill organizers | | Side effects | What's normal, when to call | | Cost | Assistance programs, generic options | | Confusion | Simplified instructions, visual aids | | Beliefs | Culturally sensitive education |

Usage Instructions

1. Assess Patient Needs

Consider:

• Health literacy level
• Primary language
• Cultural background
• Learning preferences (visual, verbal)
• Specific knowledge gaps

2. Select Content Type

Choose appropriate materials:

• Condition overview
• Medication information
• Self-management skills
• Warning signs
• Lifestyle recommendations

3. Adapt for Audience

Customize:

• Reading level
• Language
• Cultural references
• Visual aids needed
• Format (print, digital, verbal)

4. Confirm Understanding

Use teach-back method:

• Ask patient to explain in their own words
• Correct any misunderstandings
• Provide written materials to take home

Quality Standards

Health Literacy Best Practices

• Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level ≤ 6 for general materials
• Avoid more than 3 main points per document
• Use "you" and "your" for direct engagement
• Include action items clearly

Cultural Competency

• Acknowledge diverse health beliefs
• Use culturally relevant examples
• Respect family involvement in care
• Avoid assumptions about literacy or language

Integration with TherapyPod

This skill integrates with:

• Treatment Plans - Patient education components
• Medication Review - Medication teaching materials
• Care Coordination - Transition education
• ClinEval Benchmark - Response appropriateness validation

References

• See references/health-literacy-guidelines.md for standards
• See references/condition-education-templates.md for templates
• See references/cultural-considerations.md for cultural guidance