The value of explainer videos in patient communication
Written by Tim Moss | 11th October 2024
Table of Contents
Imagine you’re preparing for a medical procedure, and you’re handed a stack of brochures filled with technical jargon, complicated diagrams, and long blocks of text. It’s easy to see why many patients quickly feel overwhelmed and leave feeling just as uncertain as before their appointment. This is exactly where explainer videos come in! They simplify even the most complex medical topics and offer numerous benefits that help both patients and healthcare providers.
Reducing Consultation Time
Did you know that explainer videos can significantly reduce consultation time? A study from the Catharina Hospital in Eindhoven showed that a simple animated video greatly shortened the time needed for pre-colposcopy consultations. As a result, medical staff had more time to address individual patient questions and concerns. Imagine how much easier it would be if you were already well-informed before your doctor’s appointment, and the conversation could focus on the most important aspects of your case. This doesn’t just save time—it also builds trust between patients and their healthcare providers.
Improved Information Retention
The human brain is wired to respond to visual stimuli! A well-designed explainer video leaves a much stronger impression than written information alone. A study conducted by VU University Amsterdam found that patients who watched a medical explainer video retained the information better and reported significantly less uncertainty afterward. It’s no surprise that more and more hospitals are turning to visual communication to ensure that essential details are easily understood and remembered,
Here is an example of what such a video can look like:
Higher Patient Satisfaction and Reduced Anxiety
It’s natural to feel anxious if you don’t fully understand what will happen during a treatment or surgery. This uncertainty often leads to increased stress and anxiety. A study conducted at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York revealed that patients who watched an explainer video to prepare for their surgery were more satisfied on the day of the procedure compared to those who only received written explanations. Particularly in surgical settings, where nerves tend to be high, videos can significantly help reduce fears. Another study at the Wenzhou Medical University in China, showed that self-produced animated videos were able to significantly alleviate preoperative anxiety not only for children undergoing surgery but also for their parents.
Greater Satisfaction with Nursing Care
Explainer videos don’t just bring clarity and reduce uncertainty; they also contribute to an increased overall satisfaction with nursing care. A study conducted by the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University in China found that patients who received perioperative education through short explainer videos reported markedly higher satisfaction with their nursing care. When patients have a better understanding of the procedures and the context of their treatment, they feel safer and better cared for.
A Clear Advantage for Both Patients and Healthcare Providers
Whether you want to explain a complex medical topic, prepare patients for a procedure, or simply make the hospital stay more comfortable, explainer videos provide an effective and easy-to-understand way to communicate information. They don’t just save time and reduce the workload for healthcare staff; they also play a key role in ensuring that patients feel well-informed and cared for.
By using explainer videos, you create a foundation for trust and open communication, where patients and healthcare professionals can work together more effectively. In the end, everyone benefits: patients feel more confident and better prepared, while the medical staff can focus on what truly matters—providing excellent care and support.
Case Study: simpleshow and the Bethanien Hospital
To see how explainer videos work in practice, let’s look at a concrete example: the collaboration between simpleshow and the Bethanien Hospital (Germany). This partnership clearly demonstrates how explainer videos can optimize the flow of information in hospitals and enhance the overall patient experience.
The Challenge: Improving Clarity in Patient Admission
For many people, a hospital stay comes with many uncertainties. What can I expect during admission? What should I bring with me? What are the steps in the process? These are all questions that many patients ask themselves before they even set foot in the hospital. Of course, doctors and nursing staff do their best to address all these concerns, but traditional methods of communication quickly reach their limits given the large number of patients and often limited time and resources. This is where Bethanien Hospital decided to take action to provide their patients with a better overall experience when visiting their facility.
The Solution: A Tailored Explainer Video for Patient Admission
Together with simpleshow, the Bethanien Hospital created a customized explainer video that guides patients through the entire admission process. The video clearly explains which documents are required, what steps need to be taken during registration, and which departments patients need to visit. Through visual storytelling and straightforward language, the video prepares patients for their hospital stay in an informative and friendly way.
The video is easily accessible on the hospital’s website and can be viewed by patients before their visit. This allows to watch the video on their own and clarify potential questions ahead of time, reducing stress and shortening the amount of time needed for admission interviews.
Positive Results: Increased Satisfaction and Staff Relief
Since introducing the explainer video, Bethanien Hospital has received positive feedback from patients. They feel better informed and more secure, knowing exactly what to expect during admission. This has helped to significantly reduce uncertainties and misunderstandings.
The hospital staff has also benefited from the new communication method. Since many basic questions are already answered by the video, more time can be dedicated to personal patient care, and staff can focus more on individual needs and questions, which has improved the overall quality of patient care.
Why Don’t All Hospitals Use Explainer Videos Yet?
Despite the clear benefits of explainer videos in patient communication, many hospitals and medical practices have yet to adopt this solution. Why is that? Often, it’s due to perceived obstacles and concerns that keep them from embracing the technology. But these problems are actually easier to solve than many might think.
Despite the clear benefits of explainer videos in patient communication, many hospitals and medical practices have yet to adopt this solution. Why is that? Often, it’s due to perceived obstacles and concerns that keep them from embracing the technology. But these problems are actually easier to solve than many might think.
Typical Obstacles and Concerns
- “Producing videos is expensive and time-consuming!”
Many believe that creating professional explainer videos requires high costs and a significant amount of time. After all, video production is often associated with large film crews, elaborate shoots, and long editing processes. But that’s no longer the case! Thanks to modern tools and platforms like simpleshow, creating videos has become fast and cost-effective. With the right resources, high-quality videos can be produced without expensive camera crews or complex editing software.
- “We don’t have the necessary expertise in-house.”
Another common concern is that creating videos requires specialists, which most hospitals and practices don’t have. But nowadays, there are tools available that simplify content creation. With the “Story Generator” in simpleshow’s video maker, complex topics can easily be turned into explainer video scripts, and AI voices can be used for voiceovers without the need for a professional speaker. This makes video creation accessible even without in-house expertise, making it easy for anyone on the team to contribute to content development.
- “We don’t know how to present complex topics in a simple video format.”
Medical professionals are often unsure of how to break down complex topics without losing important details. This is where simpleshow’s “Simplifier” comes into play: even the most complicated information can be condensed into a clear, concise narrative. Existing documents like PDFs or PowerPoint presentations can simply be uploaded, and the intelligent technology transforms them into a professional explainer video at the click of a button, which can then be customized as needed.
- “We need videos in multiple languages.”
Hospitals often face the challenge of communicating with a diverse patient population. Information needs to be available in various languages to ensure that patients from different cultural backgrounds can fully understand it. Here too, simpleshow offers a solution: using AI-supported One-Click Translation, explainer videos can be easily adapted into multiple languages. This ensures that your message is clear and comprehensible, no matter what language your patients speak.
Explainer Videos: The Future of Patient Communication
Explainer videos are no longer complicated or costly projects. With the right platform and tools, any hospital or medical practice can utilize visual communication to better inform patients and their families, reduce anxiety, and improve the overall patient experience. In the end, not only is the healthcare staff relieved, but the trust and satisfaction of the patients are also strengthened.
So why wait? Start using explainer videos in your hospital or practice now and make patient communication more accessible and efficient—without the need for a large investment or extra resources. By taking this step, you’ll be embracing a modern, user-friendly way of engaging with patients that can enhance understanding and transform their healthcare experience for the better.
