Successfully engaging in a health- or medical-related activity
is a matter of understanding what one needs to do. This
means information used in this context needs to be easy to use.
Accomplishing the goals laid out in the essay will facilitate
understanding and allow for effective use. Thus, successful medical
and health communication are connected to one central concept:
usability. But how to achieve this goal? The answer is through
patient-focused design practices that help mirror the experiences of
patients who are using such materials. This entry overviews such
an approach – which I call patient experience design (PXD) – and
explains why such an approach is central to best health and medical
communication practices.