Budget, box-ticking and brand tone of voice – if these hold your brand back from being health literate, it’s time to take another look. Health literacy isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a set of guiding principles and a working approach to producing health content that ultimately boil down to one thing: prioritising patient needs.
For brands that do it well, patient-first content gives back, nurturing the entire journey from acquisition to long-term loyalty. But despite the clear advantages, health literacy isn’t always given the weight it deserves.
Here are five key reasons why.
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1. The cost-benefit dilemma
Pressure over marketing budgets often forces the focus onto measurable short-term gains. The logic goes like this: Why spend time and resources simplifying and testing patient information when marketing campaigns provide immediate metrics?
But this misses the bigger picture. Health literacy-focused content does drive patient acquisition. Simplified, relevant information helps foster trust and makes treatment decisions easier. In the long run, it increases treatment adherence and improves outcomes, driving satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing – all of which benefit the bottom line.
2. A box-ticking approach to compliance
Sometimes, health literacy is treated as a regulatory box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine effort to engage with patients. The result is technically compliant materials that do little to improve real understanding.
The true value of patient-centred communication is in building a meaningful connection. It’s about recognising unmet needs and closing the gap with timely support throughout the treatment journey.
3. A blind spot for patient needs
Sometimes, it’s assumed that patients already have the necessary knowledge, especially if they’re already diagnosed with and managing their condition. In reality, a large portion of patients receive very little guidance on a new diagnosis and struggle to navigate health information when they do encounter it. Each stage of their condition management – each test, scan, treatment or prognosis update – presents fresh information to take in and new decisions to be made.
There are assumptions about who health literacy affects, too. Research suggests it shows up across sociodemographic groups and ages. These include younger, digitally savvy patients and older adults managing multiple conditions. It changes with the physical and emotional challenges of a health condition. Through the course of our lives, we will all meet these challenges and respond in different ways.
Without a deep understanding of the varying levels of health literacy in their patients, health brands may miss the mark in addressing their patients’ needs. Engaging them in feedback loops, co-producing content with them and conducting usability testing is one way to create materials that resonate and are truly useful.
4. Fear of simplifying complex information
There’s a great phrase that the Patient Information Forum shared during their Health and Digital Literacy CPD. “Health literacy isn’t dumbing down – it’s levelling up.”
Often, brands and stakeholders worry that simplifying content could risk losing the nuance of medical information, causing misinformation and further confusion. The fear is valid, but the solution isn’t avoiding plain language. Rather, it’s about clarity — breaking down complex ideas into digestible pieces without weakening the message.
5. Misalignment with marketing objectives
One of the more subtle barriers is that simple, patient-friendly content will clash with broader marketing strategies. Stakeholders often worry that simplifying language could dilute their brand’s prestige or undermine their tone of voice.
But far from diminishing a brand’s credibility, clear and accessible communication enhances it. Not to mention that it goes far beyond stylistic and tonal choices. Health literacy, done properly, should extend through content strategy, ideation, validation, creation and refinement. How you actually write this information is the final flourish.
In short – health-literate content is a must-have
Patient-first content isn’t just an ethical imperative – it’s a business one, too. By making health literacy a strategic focus, brands can set the standard for patient care and communication, ultimately driving better outcomes and stronger relationships. And in an industry where trust is everything, that’s a return on investment that can’t be overlooked.
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