How to Engage With Your Patients Through Animated Videos
Technology has rapidly changed our world allowing for instant communication across the globe and the ability to engage with your patients more effectively. This is especially beneficial in the health care industry since it allows health care providers to directly engage with patients in order to address any questions and concerns. This means that patients are better informed and will that there will be greater patient satisfaction. One of the most common misconceptions about animated videos is that they are only used to sell products and explain services; there are a variety of situations in which these videos can be used to help educate patients.
What Patients Want to Know
Doctors have a very demanding schedule and often have limited periods to consult with patients; the average consult time is only ten minutes! This is hardly enough time for patients to absorb the information and formulate intelligent questions about their diagnosis or upcoming procedure. In fact, only 22% of patients claim to understand their diagnosis and 60% of patients scheduled for surgery fully comprehend the procedure there are about to undergo. As you can imagine, this can create a great deal of anxiety and dissatisfaction with their health care.
With the vast wealth of information that is available online, many patients turn to the Internet to answer their questions. Recent surveys indicate that 66% of online users are searching for information about their specific condition or disease, 56% look for information about treatment or procedures, 44% want more information about health care professionals, and 36% are seeking information about hospitals or other health care facilities. While there is a high probability that they will find the answers they are seeking, there is also a lot of incorrect information out there. With 75 million people in the U.S. who watch online videos daily, it is the perfect medium for health care professionals to get the right information to their patients.
How Animated Videos are used in the Healthcare Industry
The most apparent benefit of animated videos is that they offer a quick and clear explanation to the patient for a specific procedure or condition; these videos will usually address the most commonly asked questions which will save doctors and other health care professionals valuable time that would normally be spent answering the same questions time and again. Patients can also watch the videos several times and revisit specific information meaning they are more likely to ask well-informed, specific questions.
These animated “explainer” videos have a wide variety of other applications including basic health tips, medications, outpatient instructions, IT systems, and can even be used as informative videos for your website or waiting room. Videos can take complex information, break it down, and present to patients in a way that is easily understandable. In the case of outpatient care, videos can even be used to walk patient through step-by-step instructions showing them what to do to reduce any confusion and the possibility of readmission.
Animated videos allow health care professionals set themselves apart within the industry demonstrating their leadership to improve patient satisfaction. Patient engagement and education is crucial to providing excellent care, so it is best to take a multidisciplinary approach to communication. It also allows health care professionals to demonstrate their services and quality of their care to prospective patients.
Why Animated Videos are Effective
Animated videos have been proven to have a special draw; the bright colors, memorable characters, and movie format appeal to the mind’s instinctual desire to pay attention. The video format also allows people to form memories and retain information much more easily than when information is presented in an audio or text format.
The explanation for this is simple: in prehistoric times, humans had to be alert of danger so our brains adapted to this tension by training itself to follow light, movement, and sound that is not part of our natural surroundings. The combination of all three of these creates an overwhelming need to pay attention and be alert of its source. Each form of sensory stimulation creates a memory link to the specific event or piece of information to be recalled later. This ensures better and more efficient storage of memories, meaning that patients will retain the information that is presented. This makes videos the most effective form of communication, especially for important information from health care professionals.