Choose fonts that make patient information comfortable to read

What this means for your practice

Choose typography using representative content, sizes and devices. Evaluate the distinction between display type and longer reading text instead of applying one visual treatment everywhere.

A practical example

For example, test a service introduction, a fee table and an appointment letter rather than only a short slogan. Ask to see the phone version with larger text and the printed version at its intended size. Check names, numbers and similar-looking characters in the details people rely on. Confirm what fonts staff can use in their normal software and any relevant licensing arrangements. A good choice remains readable and maintainable when the designer is no longer adjusting each line personally.

Check the font on the tools staff use to edit routine material. A document that substitutes an unavailable typeface may wrap differently and lose its intended layout. The designer should explain a suitable working arrangement before the team begins producing everyday letters and notices.

Make the design useful in everyday work

Test type choices using the information the practice actually publishes. Long names, appointment instructions, numbers and contact details may behave differently from the short sample headline used in a presentation. Ask the designer to show the intended reading sizes on a phone and in relevant printed material, including enlarged text where appropriate. Separate the treatment of display headings from sustained reading. The decision should consider whether readers can distinguish and follow the content comfortably. Keep everyday staff editing in mind too: a carefully chosen type system is less useful if the necessary files or licences are missing at handover.

How to check the result

Record layouts requiring manual readability fixes.