The construction of a patient education manual for use in the Fen/Phen Weight Management Program.

With patient education achieving a position of prominence in today’s healthcare industry, tools to make the process easier and more effective are necessary. Printed educational materials are the most common form of instructional materials used, and the most economical. Obese patients participating in the Fen/Phen Weight Management Program, require detailed instruction in three major areas, proper usage of the anorexiant drugs dl fenfluramine and phentermine, a healthy eating plan, and an exercise program.

A patient education manual was constructed following the Evaluating Printed Education Materials (EPEM) Model developed by Bernier and Yasko (1991). The manual discusses medication administration and side effects, a healthy eating plan, and an exercise program. The SMOG formula, developed by McLaughlin (1969), was used to place the manual at the eighth grade readability level.