Let's face it, people should know about their health unless prohibited due to reasons. In an article published on NCBI, health history matters despite eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Upon a patient's request, it is your obligation as a healthcare professional to provide them with details about their health through a health letter. Luckily, we have Health Letter Templates on our site to get you started. It comes with suggestive content and a 100% customizable layout to save you time. Simply replace some details with your own and you're good to go. Ensure a professionally written letter by subscribing to our templates!
How to Create a Health Letter?
A health letter is an official document that medical professionals issue to patients. As the name implies, this document discusses the person’s condition in less technical terms. Only doctors and nurse practitioners in hospitals or any healthcare facility can issue health letters.
A recent survey on the website, CenterWatch, shows that 97% of patients believe that knowing their condition will enable them to receive high-quality care. With that said, we’ve prepared some guidelines to help you in creating a health letter for them.
1. Define the Purpose for Writing a Health Letter
When we say health letters, it could be anything for employment, referral, recommendation, or authorization purposes. Before you even start to make the letter, you should define why you're making one in the first place. By doing so, you'll have a better idea of what to include in your letter and how to convey it to readers.
2. Set Aside Key Details to Include in the Letter
After knowing what your letter is for, set aside key details to include in it. Write a list of these details and keep them handy for now. The most important details to include here are the patient's name, symptoms, condition, and health history.
3. Write a Rough Draft of the Letter
Now that you've made your list, it's time to start writing a draft of your simple letter. You can do this by hand or by encoding it directly onto your computer. Do whichever method is more convenient for you.
4. Use a Word Processor to Write the Actual Health Letter
As mentioned earlier, convenience is key to writing documents. Here, you'll be writing the final version of the health letter. Choose a document processor that you're comfortable with. You can choose between Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Apple Pages to write the letter.
5. Affix Your Signature on the Document
Lastly, this will serve as a reminder to avoid committing such a grave mistake. After closing your letter and writing your name, don't forget to affix your signature over it. Additionally, indicate your profession as a suffix and your license number below your name.
General FAQs
What are the do’s and don’ts when writing a letter?
- Do start by explaining the purpose. Don’t rely on starting the letter with an introduction of yourself.
- Do indicate the name of the recipient. Don’t settle with “To Whom It May Concern.”.
- Do keep things concise and the flow of information logical. Don’t include irrelevant details.
What is the ideal length of letters?
Not just health letters, but any type of letter should take up only one page. Ideally, the word count should only be between 200 and 400 words.
How does one define health?
Health can be defined as a person’s state of well-being. This state covers all aspects of a person, including physical health, emotional, health, social health, and mental health.
Why should people be knowledgeable about their health?
- To determine what food and activities are allowed and not allowed for you.
- To know what conditions are potentially passed on to you from your parents.
- To help you determine drug allergies, food sensitivities, and deficiencies.
What are some malpractices when handling medical records?
- Medical records are not disclosed without the patient’s signature.
- Medical records are not provided because the patient has unpaid fees.
- The release of medical records is held back by HIPAA.