OUR BACKGROUND



For over three decades Livingstone Medical have been studying the impact of low health literacy on patient compliance
and consumer behaviour on the effectiveness of health communication and information design.
This work was carried out originally in association with Medical Science Research here in the UK - then later with
the Department of Family Practice at Case Western University Teaching Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, USA
It led to the creation of Diseases Explained, an evidence based health information series written specifically for
patients and consumers. A family reference book based on this series ' A Patient's Guide to Diseases and Disorders'
was first published in 2003 (Lexi-Comp, Ohio).

This research also formed the basis for the UK Health Design & Technology Institute's (HDTI)
inaugural degree at Coventry University - the MA in Health Communication Design
We have also provided consultancy and and training services to the NHS, Public Health Agencies,
Pharmaceutical Companies, Clinical Laboratories, Patient Support Organisations,
Health Communication Agencies and Medical Publishers.
Our work has been approved in the US by the American Academy of Family Physician's Foundation (AAFPF),
certified in the UK by the Royal Society for Public Health ( for the Department of Health's
NHS Information Standard ) and endorsed by the Family Doctor Association
In 2022, Livingstone Medical became a division of Diseases Explained Limited.