Articles: medical

Printed materials in a medical setting do two jobs at once. They keep the team organised and they quietly tell the patient how seriously their care is taken. The same conclusion comes back across these 17 pieces: what works is plain print, clearly labelled and made for a slightly anxious person reading in a hurry.

What the patient takes home

The folder comes up most often - for test results, images, recommendations and a disc with a scan. A well made folder ends up in a drawer at home and comes back to the next appointment with the practice logo on it. After-care sheets behave the same way: they are read later, at home, so they have to make sense without a follow-up phone call.

• Folders and envelopes - room for paperwork and a disc, contact details easy to find.
• Record cards, questionnaires and forms - one topic per page, plenty of writing space.
• Order and information pads - repeatable, quick to fill in, with a clear field for the date.
• After-treatment instructions - short sentences, steps in order, a phone number for doubts.

Image and atmosphere

Print is not only paperwork. A leaflet about a dental treatment, a card with the next appointment or a simple business card all build the feeling that everything is planned. A separate thread covers the waiting room - how to choose background music that eases tension for patients of different ages instead of making the place feel sleepy.

If you are putting your own materials in order, start with whatever the patient carries out of the door. That set travels furthest and works longest on the reputation of the practice.