Re: RADSAFE digest 2440

[Colleen Casey <CCC@nrc.gov>]

Regarding patient information literature:

I am a former materials inspector for the USNRC Region III officer, currently a materials license reviewer.  In the years that I inspected, 1984-93, I visited approximately 275-300 hospitals and clinics of every stripe imaginable.

Not all, but many, displayed a variety of patient information literature, in the form of booklets and pamphlets.  Most were obtained in quantity so patients could keep them.

Some of my favorites were those written for nuclear medicine exams by the late Marshall Brucer, M.D., which Mallinckrodt distributed for quite a few years.  They were "cartoon-ish," yet very informative and easy to understand.  The humor in these booklets was charming and added to the ease of message delivery, i.e., "this is not going to hurt you."

I also recall seeing various pamplets for radiation therapy procedures, many were quite good.

Since I became a desk jockey and I'm out of circulation, I do not know if these types of booklets are still in print.  Perhaps one or more of the radiopharmaceutical vendors will look into this and publish good patient information literature again (?)  

My opinions only.

Colleen C. Casey
ccc@nrc.gov
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