In today’s healthcare landscape, effective patient education is crucial for improving health outcomes. Yet traditional text-based materials often fall short—especially for those with limited literacy, advanced age, or non-native English speakers. Research shows that incorporating images and animations makes information more accessible and easier to understand.

Why Visuals Matter

A well-established psychological principle known as pictorial superiority explains why visuals play such a vital role in education. Pictorial superiority is the tendency to understand and remember information more easily when it is presented as pictures rather than words. A review of studies found that picture-based health materials significantly improve learning for those with low health literacy, with ten out of eleven studies confirming their benefits (source). Adding images, animations, or videos can transform your patient education outcomes.

Video & Animation: Closing the Gap

Video-based tools enhance comprehension by providing step-by-step guidance on medical procedures and treatment plans. Animations engage patients better than text alone, reinforcing key messages and improving adherence to medical instructions (source).

A Smarter Approach to Patient Education

The evidence is clear—visual-based materials improve understanding, recall, and adherence. Healthcare providers should leverage infographics, medical illustrations, and animations to make information more digestible, bridging communication gaps and supporting diverse populations.

By integrating visuals into patient education strategies, we can bridge communication gaps, support diverse populations, and ultimately, improve health outcomes.