How can you improve your healthcare writing skills?

Understand your audience, whether it's healthcare professionals, patients, or the general public, and tailor your writing style and language accordingly. Thoroughly research your topics, using credible sources to back your claims. Use plain and clear language, avoiding unnecessary jargon, and structure your content logically with a well-defined introduction, body, and conclusion. Don't forget to proofread and edit your work for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Properly cite your sources to avoid plagiarism and seek feedback from peers or mentors in the healthcare field. Regular practice and staying informed about the latest developments in healthcare are also essential for improvement in healthcare writing.

Writing for HC just like writing for any other subject relies on perspective. However, what it isn't is just unloading information onto the readers. And I say readers carefully because not everyone is going to be your customer/ consumer. Hold onto a niche - Wellness, Aesthetics, mainstream healthcare, customer journeys, processes. Think a lot before writing to keep it simple. Of course, all the basics of writing like grammar, proofreading, and citation apply - but the most important aspect that many writers may skip is the Regulatory and regional preference of the Healthcare Authority. We are not talking about the Legislature (which is also important) but about what type of healthcare practices followed.

Understanding your Audience so that you can Tailor your writing to the audience you're addressing. Writing for healthcare professionals will differ significantly from writing for patients or the general public. Be Clear and Simple because healthcare writing often involves complex concepts. Master the skill of simplifying complicated medical words without losing accuracy. Clear and concise communication is what makes the difference.

Don’t fall for unreliable sources when you’re writing health content. Get comfortable with citing studies on PubMed, Google Scholar, and other sources for peer-reviewed journals. The National Institutes of Health, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and World Health Organization are also great sources. And depending on the audience/client, you may be able to reference hospital and health system websites. Interviewing healthcare professionals is another way to get a reputable source. Licensed doctors, nurses, and other health workers are great sources—just make sure their license is active and in good standing!

Just one suggestion - avoid Chat GPT. Learn how to write effectively the hard way. Practice and practice more. The temptation for short cuts needs to be resisted.

Remaining abreast of current healthcare industry trends and breakthroughs is crucial for proficient healthcare writing. Infusing your content with recent research discoveries, innovative treatments, and technological advancements can distinguish you as an informed and forward-looking writer, enhancing the relevance and authority of your work for readers.

Avoid writing like you’re talking to a medically trained colleague. Imagine you’re talking to a friend who works in a different profession. When I write, I go as far as reading aloud to get a better feel for if I’m writing in a conversational tone. Avoid jargon and abbreviations. You shouldn’t talk to a layperson about hyperlipidemia or cardiovascular hypertension—you should say high cholesterol and high blood pressure. You also shouldn’t expect them to understand DX for diagnosis and PVC for premature ventricular contractions, which you would need to further explain is when the ventricles in the heart pump sooner than they should. Keeping these things in mind makes your writing more consumer friendly and engaging for a wider audience!

Keeping sentences shorter and more digestible will help your reader. Try to use better/powerful verbs upfront rather than, say, a verb + adverb, as this makes the writing more concise and directed. Active language is more than just avoiding the passive – it can also involve using the verb rather than noun forms wherever possible. Where simpler language is key to secure understanding, try to ‘front load’ the sentence rather than making the reader bank information till they get to the point of the sentence much further along. The reader can then keep up with the concepts rather than lagging behind and needing to put in extra mental effort.

Employ analogies and metaphors with care, as they can simplify intricate healthcare concepts while preserving clarity. Analogies bridge knowledge gaps, rendering unfamiliar subjects relatable, and metaphors offer visual and intuitive insights; for example, comparing the immune system to a protective security force can enhance the understanding of immune responses for a broader audience.

People read documents differently. Some start at the beginning and read to the end, while others skim for what interests them. In complex healthcare documents, it's essential to make each section self-contained to accommodate diverse reading styles. Poorly structured documents can lead to different interpretations. Good ones convey your intended message clearly. You can minimize potential interpretation differences by shaping and controlling your messages. A message is a claim, an opinion, or a conclusion. Its tone is persuasive rather than objective. An effective organizational strategy is to begin with the main message. Then, follow with supporting evidence, references, and illustrations.

This is where AI can probably help. I don't mean write it for you, I mean help. You can give it the suggested title or purpose of the writing and ask it to suggest possible subheadings. You could also give it your rough draft and ask for suggestions on organisation, such as section and paragraph breaks. Keep a few well-organised articles or patient information sheets as models that you can use to improve your own work.

To make sure that you're not just throwing information at your readers, you need to organize your content to consistently provide context. One simple tip is to make sure that the beginning and ending sentences of each paragraph clearly convey the purpose of the respective paragraph, while also flowing seamlessly into the next one.

When you’re done writing your first draft, take a break before you review and edit. That way, your head will be clear and and you can catch mistakes more easily. Give yourself at least a couple of hours (though many writers wait a day or more). After your break, you’ll have “fresh eyes” which makes it easier to catch mistakes, make your work more concise, and massage clumsy phrases. Your client and/or audience will appreciate the extra time you took to polish up your work!

I ask MS word or Natural Readers to read my work aloud. That way I hear the errors and can correct them. However, this does not spot errors in the spelling of words that sound the same (right/write). For that you'll need a grammar checker.

Specialize in a Niche: Focus on a particular area within healthcare writing, such as patient education, research papers, regulatory documents, or medical journalism, to hone expertise in that niche.

Especially useful when writing for the patient and caregiver is to have actual patients and caregivers review the materials for feedback. Their lived experience will help you see blind spots and prioritize information most relevant to daily living, especially with long term or chronic health conditions.

If possible, ask others to review your writing and provide feedback. This could be a colleague, friend, or family member. Their feedback can help you to identify areas where your writing can be improved

This is an easily overlooked step. Get your slaved-over manuscript the benefit of another eye's. Don't be too sensitive if a mentor doesn't like the phrase you were so proud of. The mentor is on your side, if in doubt, get another review!

As physicians, we excel at absorbing complex information and distilling it into succinct, impactful communication. This core skill makes our healthcare writing unique, but improving it takes conscious effort. Strive to convey only the most salient details needed for the audience and purpose. Resist overpacking sentences with intricate medical jargon when simpler terms will do. Edit vigilantly to remove unnecessary words. Practice synthesizing research findings or multifaceted topics into tight summaries. Learn techniques like the inverted pyramid style to lead with key facts. Implementing these tips to will help you write healthcare communications that serve both you and your patients.

Be mindful of your audience. Who are you writing for? What is their level of knowledge about the topic? Adapt your writing accordingly. Use visuals. Images, charts, and graphs can help to make your writing more engaging and easier to understand. Be consistent. Use the same style and tone throughout your writing. Be respectful. Avoid making generalizations or assumptions about your audience

Apply the 'read it out loud' test. Read it our loud yourself, or have someone read it to you. This helps you find and fix flaws in structure, flow or readability.