Transforming Post-Operative Instructions Into Patient-Friendly Clinical Communication
Client
Regional Faith-Based Hospital System
(Confidential — full name available upon request)
Challenge
Post-operative instructions must be:
- clinically precise
- legally compliant
- easy for patients to follow while recovering
The existing document was:
- dense and text-heavy
- difficult to scan
- cognitively demanding for patients in a post-surgical state
This created risk for:
- misunderstanding care instructions
- medication errors
- unnecessary follow-up calls
Approach
We applied:
- plain-language medical writing standards
- clear hierarchy and sectioning
- step-by-step formatting
- simplified sentence structure
- scannable recovery timelines
All clinical terminology was preserved where required, but supported with patient-friendly explanations.
Outcome
The rewritten document:
- made post-surgical care easier to follow
- reduced cognitive load for patients
- supported safer recovery at home
- maintained full clinical and compliance integrity
CALLOUTS FOR DESIGN
Callout 1
Structured for real-world patient use during recovery.
Callout 2
Reduced cognitive load without removing clinical detail.
Callout 3
Plain-language format supports better adherence.
Visual 4-step flow:
1️⃣ What to do
2️⃣ When to do it
3️⃣ What’s normal
4️⃣ When to call
