Improving State-Mandated Breast Density Notifications.

Purpose: Effective written communication directly affects health care outcomes. Since 2016, the complex language of state-mandated breast density notifications (BDNs) has been challenged, because it is perceived to be beyond the comprehension of most patients. The aim of this study was to assess whether a revised BDN written at a lower reading grade level improves understanding compared with the current state-mandated BDN.

Improving Patient Comprehension of Screening Mammography Recall Lay Letters.

Purpose: In accordance with the Mammography Quality Standards Act, recall lay letters should be written using language that is "easily understood by a lay person." The authors hypothesized that the readability of their institution's current recall lay letter may contribute to the misinterpretation of intended time for patient return. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the comprehension of the current recall lay letter statement.