Person-Centered HealthCare: Using Infographics to Educate Audiences About the Flu
With the rise in popularity of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and advanced technology like smartphones, information can be shared in the blink of an eye. Due to how fast paced society has become, and the ways consumers prefer to digest information, we strive to get information quickly, and to create messages that are visually stimulating. So how can we get information that is both valuable and visual? That’s where the infographic comes in.
With the rise in popularity of social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and advanced technology like smartphones, information can be shared in the blink of an eye. Due to how fast paced society has become, and the ways consumers prefer to digest information, we strive to get information quickly, and to create messages that are visually stimulating. So how can we get information that is both valuable and visual? That’s where the infographic comes in.
An infographic is a visually appealing, informative way to share a broad range of topics. Infographics are gaining popularity in many industries because they are an innovative method of communication. Instead of having to scroll through a page of massive content or click to the next screen, people can now read their information in a fun, quick and engaging way. Topics that may otherwise be boring or complicated to understand can be presented in a visually stimulating way to spark interest.
Take for example the topic of the flu. Since we were children, health care professionals, teachers and parents have reinforced the importance of getting a flu shot. As adults we continually hear about new strains of influenza that pop up in different areas around the world. Some people are convinced that the flu shot doesn’t work, while others get the shot routinely each year. It’s a topic that is constantly in the media, but it’s not necessarily completely understood by consumers.
Additionally, at LifeBridge Health we look at the flu topic from an internal communications perspective as well because all employees are required to get an annual flu shot. Some employees may not completely understand the reason why we are required to get one, so the marketing department wanted to come up with a way to present the facts. We didn’t want to bombard them with hard-hitting facts that would scare them into getting the shot. Instead, we wanted to present the facts in a visually-appealing and fun way that would encourage them to be healthy this flu season.
We created an internal flu infographic that features general flu facts and statistics, but it also includes information specific for health care workers. You can view the infographic below:
The department also wanted to create a similar infographic that was appropriate for patients and others within our surrounding community. The ultimate goal with this infographic is to share it on our website and social media channels to get it to go viral, and to be viewed as health care experts on the topic. That way it not only informs our surrounding community, but also millions of interested people on the internet.
Our mission at LifeBridge Health is to create a healthier community, one person at a time, and we believe that infographics are an effective way to do this. With so many of our employees and patients online, checking our Facebook pages and Twitter updates, infographics will be the future of visual communication.
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