Culturally-Sensitive, Patient Designed Images Enhance Patient Understanding of Surgical Print Education Material

Fraser Health Surgery Services recognized that simply having the right information is not enough when it comes to patient education resources. Clinicians identified that patients were arriving for their surgery unprepared despite being provided patient education print material and in-person instruction. Literature suggests that patient comprehension is enhanced when images and illustrations are deliberately designed and paired with written text. We knew we needed images to enhance our recently revised surgery patient information materials. The images that we thought would convey a message were not the images that came to mind for patients. The project team worked with a group of patients with diverse backgrounds and a professional graphic designer to create 50 images using rigorous evidence- based design process. This included determining preferred graphic elements, guessability (transparency), relationship (translucency) and recall to validate the 50 images with the patient editor team. We learned how using an intentional, culturally-sensitive evidence based approach to image design helps patients understand and recall information about their intended surgical journey. We also learned that a designed image paired with text tells a better story.