It’s not always easy to get patients to understand medicine. Most of us didn’t go to medical school and yet all of us become patients at some point. Researchers have shown that 60% of surgical patients fail to fully understand their procedure. And 78% of people never fully understand their medical diagnoses either. These numbers are frightening considering that understanding of conditions and treatments is crucial for patients’ recovery. Better understanding increases patient satisfaction and compliance. And this leads to better patient outcomes and reduces the risk of readmission.
Many HCPs struggle to explain medical terminology to people who know nothing about medicine.
But as it turned out, animated videos are the best tool for this complicated task. There are several reasons why animated videos are perfect for explaining medical conditions.
Communicate complex medical concepts in a friendly way
Videos have the power to explain complex medical concepts in a way people can understand. By using animation you have the ability to explain how an illness progresses. And how certain medication works. For example, you can create an image of a certain human organ (a heart or a kidney) to explain how certain drug effects it. Also, you can use “before” and “after” animations to showcase changes over time.
Additionally, animation has the ability to show parts of the human body or viruses invisible to human eyes. This makes animated video far superior to any other type of videos out there that are limited by what the camera can film.
Videos are easier to remember
90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. And visual data are processed 60,000 times faster than text-based data.
So what does this means for patients and physicians?
It means that visually transferred data are easier to remember which leads to better treatment understanding and increased compliance with treatment.
Videos make people remember things important for their health. Like, when to take their pills and go for a checkup. But videos also make data stay in human memory much longer than text. Researchers have shown that 80% of people can remember videos they’ve seen a month ago. This makes videos perfect for patients in need of a long-term treatment.
Furthermore, animated videos are perfect for showing medical data. Percentages and comparison studies look better when animated. By using animation, you can turn the numbers into pie charts and diagrams. Or compare them with other drugs or different time periods. Animated data are much more striking than numbers written inside of a brochure or a pamphlet.
Videos are great for creating an emotional bond with patients
Watching animated subjects similar to themselves makes people empathize with their story. When they see how animated characters managed to solve their problems people will create a strong emotional bond with them. This will make them follow the procedure that will drive them to positive outcomes. Just like the ones they’ve seen on the screen.
Suitable for all ages
Another advantage of animated videos is the fact that they are suitable for all. Even children can understand medical terminology when they see it in an animated video. Animated videos remind patients of cartoons. That’s why they like watching them and are likely to absorb the messages they convey. This makes videos excellent for educating children. Or explaining health risks that can affect the entire population.
If you are a healthcare professional struggling to explain medical concepts to your patients, try using an animated video. If your patients tend to get lost in medical terminology, video is the perfect solution that will help them find their way.
And if you are looking for other ways to educate patients and physicians make sure to sign up right here and find out how to add new digital tools to your existing patient education strategy.
