Explain.Health: empowering patients with clearer medical communication
14 April 2025
Clear communication is essential in healthcare, especially when patients receive complex medical information.
The ‘Explain.Health’ project, supported by Moorfields Eye Charity, aims to address this challenge by piloting an application that helps patients better understand their medical letters.
Patients can either upload or take a picture of their letters on the ‘Explain.Health’ platform, which will produce a definition of each of the medical terms in the letter, using an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm.
These summaries are tailored to meet the needs of individual patients, providing an accessible tool to clarify medical terms and conditions in their clinic letters.
Dr Dayyanah Sumodhee
“We designed the platform to simplify technical jargon, linking patients to trusted NHS resources for clearer explanations,” said Dr Dayyanah Sumodhee, a health psychologist and senior research fellow at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.
She was the lead researcher on the project, working alongside the principal investigator, Dr Peter Thomas, chief clinical information officer and executive director of digital development at Moorfields Eye Hospital.
A key feature of the project was its focus on patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE). From the beginning, patients were included in co-producing the platform. Dr Sumodhee added:
Our PPIE group shaped everything, from the wording of explanations of medical terms to the platform’s design. Their feedback was integral to making the tool both accessible and reassuring.
Patients provided valuable feedback on the tone and clarity of the platform’s explanations. As a result, descriptions of conditions such as glaucoma were designed to be informative yet not alarming. “When explaining serious conditions, we needed to strike a balance between providing enough information and not creating undue concern.”
The tool’s accessibility was also improved based on patient feedback. “Patients told us they preferred using their phones over laptops, and we responded by making sure the platform worked on all devices.”
This adjustment has significantly expanded the tool’s reach and made it more user-friendly.
Moorfields Eye Charity funding played a crucial role in the development of a tool that empowers patients to take control of their health information.
Thanks to the support from Moorfields Eye Charity, we were able to co-produce this platform with patients, ensuring that it meets their needs.
Dr Nikolas Pontikos
Associate Professor Nikolas Pontikos from the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology also worked on the project. He emphasised the emotional weight of receiving a diagnosis:
It’s important to realise the impact that a diagnosis has on the patient. It’s huge and can be devastating, especially for a child. We want to make sure that we can really help by delivering relevant information about the diagnosis and by signposting patients to support groups.
The platform aims to set new standards for healthcare communication, showing how patient input can drive positive change in healthcare delivery.
‘Explain.Health’ illustrates the value of patient and public involvement and engagement. With continued support from Moorfields Eye Charity, the project has great potential to improve health literacy and patient care.
