“With the growing sophistication of Web-based educational materials that have pictures, interactive diagrams, and streaming videos, teaching and instructing patients has become much easier,” says Dr. Schned.
Even though patient-education materials from pharmaceutical companies are marketing oriented, “they are generally straightforward, informative, and fair about what they present because of the Food and Drug Administration’s strict, mandated guidelines,” says Dr. Altman.
“In healthcare today, patients and their families are asked to assume a lot of responsibility for their treatment and care,” says Osborne. “In order to do so responsibly, they must first learn what to do. Along with good teaching, well-written and -designed patient-education materials can help accomplish this goal.”
