Freelance Medical Writing, Editing and Health Communications Services in Los Angeles and Southern California

Medical & Scientific Writing and Editing
I have more than 12 years of medical writing and editing experience. I've created print and web copy for all types of audiences, from professional to low-literacy. My experience in medical publications is substantial, and includes physician guidance, patient education and clinical reports. I also have experience creating technical marketing materials that are scientific or medical in nature.

Medical writing and editing sample

Plain, Simple Language by William Vaughn

"I notice that you use plain, simple language, short words and brief sentences. That is the way to write English—it is the modern way and the best way. Stick to it; don't let fluff and flowers and verbosity creep in." -Mark Twain, 1880

Keeping it simple is not exactly a new idea. But it's a good guideline for  writing and editing health communications. People like it when you say what you mean and you're easy to understand. In health care, plain language makes a big difference. It allows your audience to make informed decisions about testing, treatment or care. In medical writing, plain is good.

How to be plain
Plain language connects an audience to information in the simplest way possible. And it's very specific. Plain language for physicians is not the same as plain language for 6th graders. The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) explains that it's more about how an audience responds to language than the method used to produce it.

Plain language is:

* Easily read
* Understood the first time
* Useful to the reader

While no single technique defines plain language, all of the following help create it:

* Logical organization that keeps the reader in mind
* Short sentences that use active voice
* 'You' and other pronouns that speak to the reader
* Lists and tables that simplify complex material

Some examples:

Before: Seeing a doctor or other health provider regularly helps keep you healthy. By seeing your doctor regularly, he or she will get to know more about you and be able to prevent you from getting sick.
After: To stay healthy, have a regular doctor or other health care provider. Regular care helps prevent health problems or finds them early.

Before: Smoking can make it very difficult to become pregnant, and if you smoke while you're pregnant, can cause miscarriage, premature labor, and low birth weight.
After: Smoking can make it harder to get pregnant and harder to have a healthy baby.

Before: Allowing vaccinations to be given by pharmacists results in higher influenza immunization rates.
After: When pharmacists give vaccinations, more people get flu shots.

The goal medical writing should always be to present useable information to the reader in the simplest way possible.

Risk Communication and Emergency Preparedness Plans
I've  worked on large-scale emergency preparedness plans and risk communication documents at both the national and local levels. I've acted in lead editor and writer roles, working closely with strategic, scientific and medical experts to communicate guidance in clear, simple language. Project experience also includes publication design. Often with such large writing and editing projects, the visual presentation of medical information is just as important as the information itself.

Emergency Preparedness Plan Writing and Editing Samples

New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response Plan by William Vaughn

OVERVIEW

The New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has long been engaged in thinking through and practicing emergency communications. To prepare for public health threats, DOHMH regularly tests communications protocols, prepares communications tools in advance, trains key communicators in crisis and risk communications, and builds trust through close community partnerships that can be called on in emergencies. During a flu pandemic, DOHMH will be expected to provide quick, clear, consistent, and frequent emergency information to large and extremely diverse audiences using the basic tenets of risk communications: be honest, be empathic, be clear about risks, and, when necessary, admit to not having all the answers.

OBJECTIVES

In the event of a pandemic, DOHMH aims to provide accurate, consistent, and frequent communications to the public and the medical community through television, radio, the Internet and call centers, ensuring consistency with city, state and federal messages. DOHMH will communicate issues of risk, necessity/location of medical care, and available prevention and treatment methods. In addition, the agency will communicate methods of community level disease control (e.g., cover cough, stay home with fever); provide staff to NYC Emergency Operations Center (EOC) locations and outreach sites where needed; and inform people through the news media, educational tools, and the DOHMH Web site about what they need to do.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Systems are in place at DOHMH that provide ongoing communications and build trust with diverse press, lay, and professional audiences. For example, press releases are issued frequently to the national, local, and ethnic press. Regular publications, including the Agency’s monthly Health Bulletin (for the general public) and City Health Information (for physicians and other health care providers) are e-mailed to subscribers and distributed widely through other means. DOHMH staff offer frequent presentations on emergency preparedness and other issues, and the Agency provides rapid electronic communiqués to the medical community through the Health Alert Network (HAN) and broadcast faxes. An influenza pandemic, or the threat of one, will trigger pre-established command structures. The City-wide Incident Management System (CIMS) will coordinate NYC’s response. When DOHMH activates its Incident Command System (ICS), the Public and Provider Information Section (PPI), will assume communications responsibilities, employing systems and plans already in place, and developing new ones as the pandemic evolves.

CHALLENGES

The threat of an influenza pandemic presents distinct communications challenges. While an “all hazards emergency communications” approach underscores all DOHMH preparedness activities, some aspects are unique to this particular threat. For example, the prioritized delivery of antiviral drugs and the months-long anticipated wait for limited supplies of vaccine after a pandemic strain is detected represent challenges that will require creativity, flexibility, and strong support from key stakeholders.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines by William Vaughn

Executive Summary

In response to the potential use of biological agents against civilians, the federal government is upgrading plans for preparedness, readiness, and national defenses against bioterrorist weapons. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been designated as the lead agency for the national public health response to biological terrorism. Although smallpox was declared globally eradicated in 1980, there is concern that smallpox virus may exist outside the two WHO-designated repository laboratories, i.e. with groups that might use it as a bioweapon. A single case of smallpox is likely to represent a bioterrorism release and will require an immediate and coordinated public health, medical, and law enforcement response to control the outbreak and to protect the public from any additional release.

This updated Smallpox Response Plan and Guidelines incorporates, and extends, many of the concepts and approaches that were successfully employed 30 to 40 years ago to control smallpox outbreaks. These overall concepts for outbreak containment contributed greatly to the eventual global eradication of smallpox. Thus, while this document is an updated plan, many of the elements in the plan have been extensively and successfully utilized in prior decades. This document outlines the public health strategies that would guide the public health response to a smallpox emergency and many of the federal, state, and local public health activities that must be undertaken in a smallpox outbreak. This plan will continue to be updated to reflect changes in capacities and resources for responding to a smallpox emergency.

Social Marketing & Health Promotion
A large part of my experience is based in creative communications and brand management. No matter how technical medical data may be, they always benefit  from appropriate creative presentation and visual design. Beyond medical writing and editing, healthcare marketing and promotion is often a part of many projects I do. I've created complete marketing and brand campaigns for heath organizations, as well as maintained and improved existing brand identities.

Let's face it, people are people. Both medical professionals and patients respond to good marketing and branding. Effective scientific and health communications should always reflect good marketing principles. In my experience, medical writers don't always understand social marketing and health communications. It doesn't mean they're not good writers, but you need someone on the team who does. I've always done both, and it's been a valuable part of my skill set. On many health publication projects, I'll work as a medical writer, editor and art director.

It's interesting—when the writing and editing process is informed by visual design from the onset of a project, the deliverable is invariably better. The finished product does a better job delivering information, and ultimately, supporting the brand it represents.

Television, Radio & Print
I've created health advertising campaigns that are based in social marketing. Having done many projects for public health clients, I'm often supporting campaigns that ask people to change or modify their behavior. While social marketing is not exactly rocket science, it represents an important part of putting together health advertising. If you don't understand your audience, how are you going to communicate with them?

I also have experience as an on-camera host. My experience in front of the camera greatly informs my ability to write a script that sounds real and connects with an audience.  I've written television and radio scripts for health advertising campaigns, and also have substantial medical copywriting experience. My experience includes outdoor billboards and print ads of all types.

Web Content and E-mail Marketing
Good medical writers that have an interest in the web are not easy to come by. I've been somewhat of a techie from the beginning of my career. I have experience creating documentation for software development companies, and in order to do that, you have to be able to teach yourself software. That led to me understanding the basics of HTML and developing intermediate web design skills.

While I would never bill myself as a web designer, I've worked extensively on a freelance basis with IT teams to support communications campaigns. I've authored enterprise-based HTML e-mail solutions, and have completely restructured and redesigned websites. The principles of instructional design that I apply in my medical writing and editing translate well to creating web content. Also, my graphic design and marketing skills greatly enhance the web design process.

Contact Information

E-mail is the fastest way to contact me if you'd like to discuss emergency preparedness plan writing or editing, or if you want more information. Please click here to e-mail me. If you're in Los Angeles or southern California, I'll be glad to meet with you. If you're located elsewhere, it's not a problem. I work with clients throughout the United States. I can provide a full CV, industry references and additional writing and marketing samples on request.

Availability and Rates

I work on a freelance/contract basis as a public health writer and editor. My rates vary with the length and nature of the project. Estimates are always free. Many clients prefer a service contract that provides a certain numbers of hours of medical writing and editing per week/month at a set cost. Whatever your health communications needs, I can help you achieve outstanding results.

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