[From medical jargon to patient dialogue: how Large Language Models can support patient-oriented discharge...

Discharge letters, written in technical language for clinicians, are often incomprehensible to patients. Large Language Models (LLMs) offer a scalable solution by automatically translating these expert-level documents into patient-friendly summaries. Initial evidence demonstrates that LLMs can significantly lower the reading difficulty of medical reports while maintaining high accuracy, as validated by physicians. A recent randomized clinical trial in Germany showed that LLM-generated patient letters significantly increase patient activation. For safe and effective implementation, specific prompting strategies, human-in-the-loop validation, and a clear understanding of the regulatory landscape are crucial. LLMs have the potential to support a paradigm shift in discharge communication, empowering patients to become active and informed partners in their care.