Easy-To-Read Documents

Health literacy is defined as the ability to read, understand and use healthcare information to make decisions and follow instructions for treatment. Studies reveal that up to 50% of patients cannot understand basic healthcare information. Only ExitCare® offers two levels of patient education:

  1. Easy-to-Read content written at or below the 4th grade reading level
  2. Standard content written at or below the 8th grade reading level

ExitCare content is assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid formula and standards set by experts in the health literacy field.

ExitCare’s Easy-to-Read documents include:

  • Need-to-Know and What-to-Do information
  • Simple words and sentences written in plain language
  • Ample white space
  • Simple illustrations
  • Uncluttered sections
  • Active voice style writing
  • Quality, clinician-reviewed medical information
  • Spanish translations

ExitCare’s Commitment to Excellence (see link below) results in peer-reviewed, evidence-based and lay-person understandable content consistent with current medical practices and guidelines. This 4-page overview describes many aspects that encompass our commitment to developing documents which meet very demanding criteria.

Today, the most common reading level measurement tool used by medical professionals is Flesch-Kincaid. The “Reading Level” link below explains many of the advantages and disadvantages to this widely used tool.

Product Fact Sheet

Click here for a pdf file (4.32MB)

Example Titles

Click here for a sample Tubal Ligation, Easy-to-Read pdf file (28 KB).

Click here for a sample Diverticulitis, Easy-to-Read pdf file (33KB).

Click here for a sample Otitis Media, Easy-to-Read pdf file (45 KB).

Click here for a sample Peptic Ulcers, Easy-to-Read pdf file (49 KB).

Click here for a sample Sore Throat, Easy-to-Read pdf file (26 KB).

Click here for a sample Sutured Wound, Easy-to-Read pdf file (27 KB).

More Information

Click here for a pdf file (322KB) on Reading Level.

Click here for a pdf file (206KB) with details: Health Literacy and ExitCare
Easy-to-Read Topics.

 

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