At BlaineTurner Advertising, we believe every project is an opportunity to do what’s right—and to make information more accessible, relatable, and effective. When WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital asked us to revise their Women’s Center pregnancy booklet, we didn’t just update the content—we reimagined it using best practices in health literacy and plain language.
Reaching Patients Where They Are
With more than half of U.S. adults reading at a level below sixth grade, and nearly 21% of West Virginians facing low literacy, comprehension is not optional in healthcare communications—it is essential. Our content team took a careful, thorough approach, rewriting more than 50 pages with empathy, clarity, and accuracy.
We used the Health Literacy Advisor™ tool from Health Literacy Innovations to measure and improve the reading level of the material, ensuring that key health information was presented in a way patients could easily understand and act on.
Design With Purpose, Content With Care
Beyond words, we considered the full patient experience. We structured the guide with checklists, callouts, trackers, and clear definitions, providing new parents with guidance that is both informative and easy to follow. Topics like C-sections, postpartum support, and newborn care were reframed to build confidence, reduce stigma, and encourage positive engagement with care teams.
The result? A patient education booklet designed to truly support understanding. A new website accompanies the booklet to reach even more families with helpful pregnancy information.
The result? A patient education booklet designed to truly support understanding. A new website accompanies the booklet to reach even more families with helpful pregnancy information.
Want to Make Your Own Writing More Health Literate? You Can! Start Here.
- Know your audience. Write for the real people reading your work, not for experts. While first-time expectant parents are often excited, they can also feel anxious about what lies ahead. Using plain language empowers them and builds confidence.
- Organize in a logical order. Put the most important information first or arrange steps sequentially so readers can follow along without getting lost.
- Use active voice. Active sentences are generally shorter, clearer, and make it obvious who’s doing what (e.g., “Call your doctor” vs. “A call to your doctor is recommended”).
- Engage readers with pronouns. Speak directly to your audience—“you,” “your”—to make content feel relevant and personal.
- Chunk information with headings and lists. Break text into bite‑sized pieces using descriptive headings and bulleted or numbered lists so readers can scan and digest easily.
- Use short sentences. Break down information into digestible pieces. Try to aim for no more than 10 words in a sentence.
- Replace jargon. Choose familiar, everyday language. For example, instead of “fetal heart rate,” opt for the simpler “baby heart rate.”
- Include a clear call to action. At the end of sections or checklists, tell people exactly what you want them to do, think, or feel next.
- Add visual anchors. Use headers, bullets, and graphics to guide the eye. Make sure images that support understanding are placed near relevant text.
- Test your work. Use tools like the Health Literacy Advisor to check readability and simplify where needed.
“This project gave us the chance to step back and think carefully about how patients really use health information. It wasn’t just about simplifying—it was about creating something that feels supportive and useful for new parents,” shared Cassandra Stalzer, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital.
Make Your Writing More Health Literate
Get BTA’s 10 Health Literacy Best Practices
Download the ChecklistThis project is one more example of the thoughtful, values-driven work that continues to define BlaineTurner Advertising. Projects like this one demonstrate why, by translating strategy into substance and insight into impact, we continue to deliver results that truly matter.