Help your patients become more invested in their care.

When it comes to patient education, it’s important to provide materials that are both informative and easy to understand.  UpToDate now offers two levels of patient content - the Basics and Beyond the Basics - to help you accommodate your patients’ different learning styles and health literacy levels.

The Basics are short (1-3 page) articles written in plain language at a 5th to 6th grade reading level. They answer the 4 or 5 most important questions a person might have about their diagnosis. These are best suited for patients looking for a general overview or an introduction to a medical condition or treatment. Read a sample Basics level topic on heart failure.

Beyond the Basics articles are 5-10 pages long, more detailed than The Basics, and inclide some medical terms. These topics are ideal for patients who already have a basic understanding of their condition and are looking for more in-depth information. These topics are also available for free to patients at www.uptodate.com/patients. Read a sample Beyond the Basics level topic on heart failure.

All patient topics are developed in concordance with our professional-level content and are included as part of your UpToDate subscription. To quickly see if we have patient level information on a particular topic, simply sort your search by “Patient” in the drop down box and any relevant patient content will appear at the top of your search. Discuss the information you find with your patients during their appointment, and print or email a copy for them to review more at home.