Communicating medtech with visuals

Fabricio Pamplona, co-founder of online infographic maker for scientists Mind the Graph, explores how infographics and visuals can be a powerful tool for communicating complex medical information to patients and other audiences.

What are the challenges when communicating information about medtech?

It’s no secret that medical technology is a complex subject, every product has its own features, benefits and technical information that audiences must process. The Ebbinghaus Forgetting Curve tells us that humans forget approximately 50% of information within an hour of learning it, so leaving a lasting impression is critical.

Attention spans are short, and manufacturers and other medical companies only have a short window to grab their audience. Therefore, presenting this information in a way that’s easy to digest for non-technical audiences is critical.

What are the benefits of visuals over text-based information?

Research has taught us that we’re much better at learning content from pictures than text. In fact, the human brain processes images around 60,000 times faster than text, which is remarkable when we think about the variety of images that are out there. The picture superiority effect also tells us that images are more memorable than text. Images can help companies attract attention, communicate concepts quickly and easily and even influence decisions.

We all remember those posters hanging in hospital waiting rooms and doctor’s surgeries, and why? Because they were short and snappy, using effective, but poignant graphics. However, the medical industry is still heavily reliant on written content for communication. Picture this, if a patient buys a new glucose monitor patch, then viewing visual guide will be far more effective than reading text-based instructions.

How can manufacturers and medtech firms use visuals in their content? 

If we think back to white papers, these are often used to deliver in depth analyses of industry topics like regulatory frameworks or specific products and innovations. However, white papers are also 2,500 to 5,000 words long — not an easy read for anyone. Infographics or graphical abstracts provide a simpler, more effective way of communicating complex subjects to non-technical audiences, such as patients and consumers.

The power of visuals in marketing is well known, and medical companies can use graphics to persuade consumers that their product is the most effective solution. For example, when providing a batch of new syringes for a local healthcare facility, companies can attach a short infographic to the standard product guide, illustrating the various features and injection techniques.

What role can visuals play in academia and education?

For academics giving presentations in class, grabbing the audience’s attention is half the battle, so using attractive slides that highlight the key information goes a long way. In this scenario, visual content is a useful tool that is so often underused.

While images might seem like the go-to option, finding good shots that explain medical procedures and scientific detail is easier said than done. However, attractive illustrations and graphics are eye-catching and easy to understand — the staple of any strong PowerPoint slide deck. We launched our platform to give scientists, doctors, and medical professionals easy access to such assets. Our library now offers thousands of accurate medical illustrations, so users can download these when creating presentations, infographics, posters, and graphical abstracts.    

Mind the Graph offers a graphic making tool and illustration gallery that scientists and medical professionals can use when creating infographics and presentations. For more information, visit its website.