ASRM Launches Plain Language Practice Summaries

ASRM Launches Plain Language Practice Summaries

ASRM Launches Plain-Language Practice Summaries to Support Patients and the Public

ASRM is making its clinical guidance more accessible than ever with the launch of ASRM Practice Summaries. This new collection of resources is designed to accompany the latest Practice Committee Documents.

These summaries are written in clear, public-friendly language, translating highly technical recommendations into information that patients, caregivers, and the public can more easily understand.

For patients navigating infertility or other reproductive health challenges, the volume of medical information-and misinformation-can be overwhelming. ASRM leaders saw a need for resources that not only summarize but also clarify the society's evidence-based guidance.

"It's really about making sure patients have access to reliable, evidence-based information," said ASRM Instructional Designer Harriet Smith. "There's a lot of information out there, and not all of it is trustworthy. We want to ensure people can turn to ASRM for something solid."

Unlike the full practice documents, which are dense with tables, citations, and technical data, the summaries extract the most important points, organized by the same key sections. This makes them easier to read while still staying true to the guidance.

"The practice documents are pretty robust," Smith noted. "The summaries take the essential sections and present them as their own document. It's about distilling the guidance into something practical and usable for the lay public."

Development and Review

The summaries are drafted by the Patient Education Committee with close attention to readability and tone, then reviewed by the Practice Committee for clinical accuracy, and then approved by the ASRM Board of Directors. This layered review process ensures that while the language is simplified, the integrity of the guidance remains intact.

Each summary aligns with ASRM's standards, ensuring consistency with the full practice documents, supports informed decision-making, giving patients and caregivers a foundation for conversations with their healthcare providers, and expands accessibility, making complex medical guidance approachable to the wider public.

For Smith, the importance of this project is clear. "At the end of the day, this is about empowering patients and the public. If people can understand the guidance, they can make better decisions about their health."

The full collection of 13 summaries will be released this fall. They will be available on ReproductiveFacts.org in a new dedicated section, and each practice document will now feature a link to its corresponding summary.

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