In an increasingly digital-first healthcare system, access to therapies and health outcomes depend more heavily on a patient’s ability to interpret and act on varied sources of health information. Communication about coverage details, prior authorization (PA) requirements, refill reminders, and support programs are now frequently delivered digitally. When patients cannot easily find, understand, or apply that information, delays in initiation and gaps in adherence can follow, negatively impacting health outcomes.

Digital or electronic health literacy—defined as “the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained”—has emerged as a meaningful determinant of health outcomes.¹ A 2024 review in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research, assessing findings across 17 studies, suggested a positive association between higher levels of digital health literacy and improved health outcomes.² Put simply: Comprehension can shape follow-through.

To reach a broad patient audience and improve comprehension, healthcare organizations should consider patient-focused digital health literacy approaches that make healthcare information easy to understand, access, distribute, and update. In a market where patient engagement can determine access to treatment, digital health literacy should no longer remain a background consideration. Adopting digital health literacy principles can reduce access barriers, support adherence, and ultimately result in better health outcomes.

This paper explores key areas where healthcare organizations can focus on improving their digital health communication strategies for patients.

Designing for literacy: 3 practical, patient-friendly communication principles

Improving digital health literacy starts with intentional communication design. Three principles are especially critical: reducing cognitive load, matching communication channels to literacy levels, and removing barriers to engagement.

1. Reduce cognitive load

Patients often encounter complex healthcare information related to diagnoses, treatment options, coverage requirements, and support programs. When communications rely on dense text or technical language, it can be difficult for patients to identify key points or understand what action they should take.

Effective communications should:

• Create scannable content. Clearly delineate sections with headlines and subheadings, a hierarchy, and callouts so readers can quickly locate key information.
• Use conversational language. Replacing technical jargon with clear, conversational wording makes communications easier to understand.
• Show instead of tell. Infographics and charts can communicate some ideas more clearly than paragraphs of dense text. This may also help bridge language gaps for patients with other first languages or comprehension difficulties.
• Bring information to life. Statistics and real-life examples can reinforce key points and improve understanding.

Equally important is helping patients quickly understand why the information matters to them. To encourage engagement, communications should highlight personal impacts and provide a clear call to action so patients know the next steps they are expected to take.

In practice, organizations may look for signals such as improved comprehension, fewer support questions about basic steps, and higher completion rates for intended actions to determine whether the attempted communication strategies are succeeding.

2. Match communication channels to patient literacy levels with an omnichannel strategy

No single communication channel can effectively reach all patients. Differences in age, language, digital familiarity, and access to technology influence how individuals engage with health information. Text messages, email, and patient portals can deliver timely and relevant information, whereas video and audio formats may increase engagement and retention.

Social determinants of health (e.g., health literacy, first language, and age) could influence how patients interact with digital communications. Ensuring that the design and presentation of messages resonate with the preferences of the target population is vital for building trust and increasing credibility with patients. Communication strategies need to be responsive to the differences in digital familiarity across patient populations.

Different populations may benefit from different approaches:

• More digitally literate populations may respond well to interactive and engaging content across multiple platforms.
• Individuals with lower digital literacy may benefit from simpler materials and guided instruction, such as video tutorials. This population is best served by an omnichannel messaging approach, as individuals can choose the communication format with which they are most comfortable.
• Patients with limited English proficiency may benefit from professionally translated materials in the languages most common to the patient population, paired with visuals such as icons or infographics that reinforce meaning across language barriers.
• Patients with limited access to technology may benefit from mobile-first design and lightweight, low-bandwidth content, as they may rely primarily on smartphones rather than home broadband. SMS-based options and printed alternatives can also help reach patients with limited access.

Making certain that omnichannel materials are easy to read and understand (see “1. Reduce cognitive load” above) can help address these challenges.

When designed thoughtfully, an omnichannel strategy can reinforce key messages while ensuring a diverse range of patients can access information through the avenues that are most comfortable for them.

Successful implementation of this strategy may be reflected in stronger engagement across preferred channels and less drop-off as patients move between communication formats.

3. Remove barriers that prevent patients from engaging with healthcare messaging

Even well-designed communications may fail to reach patients if unnecessary barriers exist. Simplifying how patients access information can encourage engagement and help ensure they obtain the guidance they need when it becomes relevant.

Strategies to reduce barriers include:

• Offering ungated content. Allowing patients to access essential information without repeated credential entry can make resources easier to use.
• Providing easy access to key resources. Reducing unnecessary steps can motivate patients to engage with educational materials.
• Minimizing task burden. Limiting required fields, streamlining forms, and allowing patients to save progress and return later can make digital tasks easier to complete.
• Using clear, supportive instructions. Plain-language error messages and clear next steps can help patients recover more easily when they encounter problems.
• Providing an alternative path when digital tools fail. Clear escalation options, such as phone or chat support, can help patients continue moving forward when digital access becomes a barrier.
• Supporting accessibility and language needs. Mobile-friendly design, readable formatting, and access to translated materials can help ensure communications remain usable for a broader range of patients.

For some populations, reducing barriers may also mean minimizing the technological burden associated with accessing information. In a 2025 requirements study published in PLOS Digital Health, a sample of older adults expressed a preference for communications that included printed materials alongside simple, “app-free” digital solutions such as QR codes.³ Similarly, a BMJ Open scoping review of health education studies found that printed materials were associated with higher accessibility and availability, as well as a lower learning burden for older adults compared with digital tools.⁴

Even when digital channels are optimized, some patients may still benefit from traditional communication formats. Providing both digital and traditional options (see “2. Match communication channels to literacy levels…” above) can help ensure that individuals with lower digital literacy or limited familiarity with technology are still able to access important healthcare information.

Over time, implementing these strategies could result in fewer failed access attempts, shorter time to complete key tasks, and higher completion rates for important digital actions.

Using data to continuously improve patient communication

Designing communications that support digital health literacy requires strategies grounded in evidence. Quantitative and qualitative data can help healthcare organizations better understand how patients engage with information and identify where communications may be more responsive to real-world challenges.

Quantitative insights

Healthcare organizations that collect and analyze relevant healthcare data can generate insights at scale and use them to help tailor communication strategies. Incorporating these insights into digital health communications enables content to be updated or customized as patient needs evolve.

For example, with medications, claims data can identify key moments in the treatment journey where communication can improve understanding or reduce access-related barriers, such as⁵:

• PA delays
• Time to therapy initiation
• Points of patient drop-off or prescription abandonment

Clear, proactive communication around these processes may help reduce access barriers and improve patient experience.⁶

Healthcare data can also reveal adherence-related signals that suggest opportunities for additional support, including:

• Therapy discontinuation
• Irregular medication use
• Gaps in refills

Although the causes of nonadherence are often multifactorial, these findings may still help identify where communication interventions could support more consistent therapy use.

Together, these indicators can help healthcare organizations identify where patients are most likely to encounter confusion, delay, or disengagement throughout the treatment journey. Organizations may then respond with more targeted interventions, such as refill reminders, education about support programs, or simplified guidance to help patients navigate access barriers.

In this way, healthcare data can help ensure that patient communications are delivered not only more effectively but also at the moments when they are most needed.

Qualitative insights

Quantitative data can highlight where communication challenges occur, but qualitative insights are often needed to understand why they occur. Engaging directly with patients through focus groups or advisory boards can provide valuable feedback about how information is perceived, what communication formats are most effective, and where patients encounter confusion.

Early engagement helps organizations refine messaging, clarify educational materials, and ensure that communications reflect the real-world needs and preferences of patients.

By combining quantitative data with qualitative feedback, healthcare organizations can continuously refine digital health communications to better support comprehension, engagement, and improved access to care.

Boosting patient digital literacy helps bolster healthcare access and outcomes

In today's healthcare landscape, knowing how to find and understand digital health information is more imperative than ever. Digital health literacy helps patients navigate online health communications and make better decisions about their care. By reducing cognitive load, matching communication channels to patient needs, removing barriers to engagement, and utilizing quantitative and qualitative insights, healthcare organizations can design experiences that support understanding, build trust, and improve outcomes. As technology continues to evolve, there’s even greater opportunity for healthcare organizations to improve patient engagement by weaving intentional digital literacy strategies into their communication.

¹ Norman, C.D., & Skinner, H.A. (2006). eHealth literacy: Essential skills for consumer health in a networked world. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 8(2), e9. Retrieved June 9, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8.2.e9.

² Yuen, E., et al. (2024). Digital health literacy and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, health resource use, and health outcomes: Rapid review. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 13, e46888. Retrieved June 9, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.2196/46888.

³ Ferraz, L.T., Frohlich, D.M., Hodgkins, C.E., Yuan, H., & Castro, P.C. (2025). Optimising the provision of health information for older adults across paper and screen formats - A requirement study with content producers and consumers. PLOS Digital Health, 4(11), e0001090. Retrieved June 9, 2026, from https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0001090.

⁴ Ferraz, L.T., Santos, A.J.T., Lorenzi, L.J., Frohlich, D.M., Barley, E., & Castro, P.C. (2024). Design considerations for the migration from paper to screen-based media in current health education for older adults: A scoping review. BMJ Open, 14(4), e078647. Retrieved June 9, 2026, from http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078647.

⁵ CoverMyMeds. (2020). 2020 medication access report. Retrieved June 9, 2026, from https://assets.ctfassets.net/2in405srp47m/4SyH0ZdIFQwuAuCzhuAmTo/973d7b3266a843c94c074fce698de9ea/CMM_36517_MARExecutiveSummary_Digital.pdf.

⁶ Ibid.