4 Tips for Writing About Sensitive Medical Topics

Writing is difficult for most of us, even for those of us who choose it as a profession. And when the topic is sensitive, and words need to be tactful, the task often gets put on the back burner.
 
Postpone no more. Your patients value what you have to say, and there are more opportunities than ever to speak through blogs, websites, and social media.
 
By keeping a few things in mind, you can power through writer’s block and communicate important information your patients need, even if it is of a sensitive nature or about a stress-inducing topic.

1. Gather Your Thoughts

Before you compose your masterpiece, take a few moments to put yourself in the shoes of your patient. Ask yourself:

• What do I want them to know?
• What are their biggest challenges? Are they embarrassed or ashamed? Are they afraid to ask for information?
• How can I help them?
• What do I want them to do?

When you answer these questions, your thoughts and words will flow.
 
Next, create an outline. This exercise helps to organize information in a logical sequence. It need not be detailed. Address the basics—what you will cover in the introduction, body, and conclusion—and move on.
 
Related Reading: 3 Secrets to Crafting Memorable Content

2. Be Wise with Your Words

The way you write often follows the way you speak. Be mindful of your words and the way you communicate in everyday conversations. Are your words encouraging? Are they judgmental? Do they convey an unconscious bias?
 
Whatever you do, be intentional. Here are some tips for increasing the conscientiousness of your writing:
 

• Use people-first language. This concept puts the person before the disease, disability, or condition. Rather than identifying someone as “obese,” refer to them as “a person who is obese.”
  • Learn More: Patient-First Language in Medical Writing

 

• Find commonality. Connect your reader with a community of others with the same condition, so they know they are not alone. For example, try saying something like, “Often, people with incontinence find ….” Back up the statement with clinical evidence that strengthens your point,  such as, “The CDC estimates one in five people have a sexually transmitted infection ….”

 

• Spell out abbreviations and acronyms. Assume your readers will not know what an abbreviation or acronym stands for. If it is used multiple times in the document, define it and include its abbreviation in parenthesis the first time, and then use the shortened version thereafter. For example, write out body mass index (BMI) initially and then use BMI.

 

• Use caution with clinical terms and avoid stigmatizing language. If you must use a clinical term or industry jargon, provide a simple explanation or definition initially. For example, “Febrile means having a fever.” Avoid altogether words like addict, abuse, habit, clean, dirty, carrier, victim, and sufferer because they convey moral judgment and can be stigmatizing.

 

• Steer clear of sweeping generalizations. Use terms like many or often to soften a statement. For example, instead of “No one understands,” try, “Many people don’t understand.”

 

• Minimize misinterpretation. As a clinician, many patients look to you to be the expert and convey facts. Be sure to use phrases like “I believe,” “in my opinion,” and “it appears” to make it clear when something is an opinion versus a statement supported by clinical evidence and research.

 

• Use conscious language. This includes avoiding racial slurs, stereotypes, or gendered language and replacing it with inclusive terminology. Instead of terms that denote gender, such as chairman or mankind, use chairperson or humanity. Likewise, using the terms father, mother, brother, sister, son, or daughter when writing about familial relationships, in general, may not apply to everyone’s experience. Instead, use terms such as parent, sibling, and child.

 

• Let them know you care. Make yourself human. Introduce or summarize your topic with a genuine statement that lets your patients know you value their time and business and care about their well-being. “At Blue Bird Health, we …” or “I am honored you have ….”

 
Above all, be kind with your words. Remember, when someone reads your document, they are striving to learn something, make changes or become better. Respect this.

3. Include a Call to Action

​Many articles include a call to action. A call to action is a specific request for the audience to do something. Calls to action typically come at the end of a piece and urge the audience to take the next step.
 
For example, do you want them to call your office for more information? Do you need a patient to complete a form? Make your call to action clear with simple phrases such as “Learn more” or “Contact us.”

4. Proof Your Work

Set aside your document and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes. Read it out loud to make your words conversational.
 
Be your own critic and ask:

• Can I make my work more active, with fewer words?
• Have I provided resources (including links) for additional information?
• Have I made common mistakes?

 
Have your peers review content for accuracy, or enlist the help of your target audience to ensure you have proven your point. Then consider their responses and rework your text as needed.
 
When you are satisfied with your first draft, enlist the help of a professional editor or proofreader prior to publication.

• Learn More: 4 Types of Content Editing – What Everyone Ought to Know

 
Congratulations! You are on your way to publishing your masterpiece with confidence. If you need support at any point, the writers, editors, and instructional designers at Dream Write Creative are ready to help. 

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About the Author:

​Michele Ackerman is a freelance writer/editor, designer, and web creator who specializes in technical topics. She pens blogs for her own sites, Fit by Michele and The Bad Beekeeper, and regularly contributes to other publications. She lives in Columbus, OH, where she cares for honeybees and a garden of more than 200 different varieties of trees, shrubs, and flowers.