Use AI to review your drafted patient discharge instructions for readability and completeness before printing.

You've drafted discharge instructions for a patient, but you want to make sure they're truly ready before printing and handing them over. AI can act as your second set of eyes — checking if the language is clear enough for patients with varying health literacy, if critical steps are missing, and if the instructions could confuse or overwhelm someone who's anxious about going home. **Step 1:** Copy your draft discharge instructions into ChatGPT or Claude. Start by asking AI to evaluate the reading level and identify any medical terms that might confuse a patient unfamiliar with healthcare language. **Step 2:** Ask AI to flag any missing critical information — such as red flag symptoms to watch for, when to follow up, what to do if symptoms worsen, medication timing, or activity restrictions. **Step 3:** Request that AI reorganize the instructions if needed — grouping medications together, separating wound care steps, and using bullets or numbered lists to make the document scannable and less intimidating. **Step 4:** Have AI suggest simpler alternatives for any confusing phrases or sentences. Ask it to rewrite sections in plain language that a middle schooler could understand. **Step 5:** Ask AI to add a brief empathy statement or encouragement at the end, so the patient feels supported rather than just handed a list of rules. **Step 6:** Review the AI's suggestions carefully, make the edits that fit your patient and clinical judgment, and finalize your instructions. Remember: AI helps you polish the draft, but you're the one who knows your patient and ensures clinical accuracy. Never input real patient names or identifiers.

March 6, 2026