Graphic design is used in almost every industry to deliver key information and messages and is a tool for strengthening a brand’s identity.
Graphics are vital in helping businesses connect with their target market–whether through marketing materials, digital products, or educational content.
In the healthcare sector, the importance of graphic design has taken on a new level.
Health providers must convey complex and critical information in ways that are accessible, accurate, and sensitive to patient needs.
Graphic design can be less of a marketing tool and more of a patient engagement facilitator. Graphics help people understand medical information and instructions. They also convey general healthcare and operational messages in an inclusive and accessible way.
Through effective graphic and logo design, healthcare companies can improve the patient experience and meet their commitment to quality care.
Understanding the Importance of Good Graphic Design in the Healthcare Industry
Most people feel scared and anxious or may even start panicking when entering a health facility.
The main objective of any piece of graphic design is to be informative. Patients feel reassured and comforted when gaps in their knowledge are filled, uncertainty is taken away, and they no longer feel in the dark about any aspect of their care and treatment.
This section will explore the impact effective graphic design has in a healthcare setting.
Enhancing patient communication
The core purpose of health-related graphic design isn’t to be flashy or something to be marveled at.
The objective is to clearly communicate a message with an appropriate amount of visual appeal that improves a patient’s ability to understand the information without any aesthetics becoming a distraction.
Hospitals produce hundreds of patient educational materials. Instructions on how to look after yourself post-surgery are probably one of the most common.
Now, instead of giving patients a heavy text booklet, the surgery may opt for icons, symbols, and color-coded sections combined with a visually engaging layout.
This helps patients understand the important steps and precautions without causing confusion. As a result, the surgery and its patients benefit through better health outcomes.
Image supplied by the author (Link to study)
Infographics are also invaluable in simplifying complex medical data.
A healthcare organization, for example, could use an infographic to explain the stages of a treatment plan for a chronic illness. This would help explain the steps, expected results, and timelines.
Visual elements like charts, diagrams, and icons help translate complex medical jargon into concise, understandable information, supporting patients in making informed decisions about their health.
Brand identity in healthcare
Graphic design is pivotal in establishing solid brand awareness for healthcare organizations.
A solid visual brand consists of a clean logo and consistent use of colors and fonts. This helps healthcare providers create a sense of familiarity with their service users.
Mayo Clinic’s branding is an excellent example of the above in action.
The Mayo Clinic logo features a shield symbol with a clean, black typeface. It is simple and powerful, evoking a sense of heritage, authority, and commitment to care.
This visual identity is consistently applied across their website, patient materials, and physical facilities, reinforcing trust and familiarity among patients and visitors.
(Image source.)
Mayo Clinic’s minimalist design reflects a dedication to quality, simplicity, and reliability, ensuring its brand communicates a message of deep authority. They have thoughtfully crafted every visual element to build a brand that resonates with patients and symbolizes worldwide healthcare excellence.
Patient engagement and experience
Graphic design is quintessential for creating effective patient materials, including brochures, websites, and signage. These materials bridge healthcare providers and patients, conveying important information and guiding them through their healthcare journey.
In brochures, thoughtful design choices like clear headings, simple icons, and organized layouts make medical information more accessible.
The user-friendly design of these materials significantly impacts patient experience and satisfaction. When patients can easily understand instructions from a brochure or quickly locate information on a website, they feel more informed and confident in their healthcare journey.
When it comes to websites, healthcare companies should opt for:
- A cohesive and simple color scheme
- Accessible language
- Intuitive navigation
Every part of the website should promote professionalism–like the one below.
(Image Source)
Henry Meds offers semaglutide online for weight management and is an excellent example of a clean and fluid healthcare website.
Their designers have managed to strike a balance between the serious, no-nonsense aesthetic of a medical brand and the more energetic, motivational vibe of the fitness world. By blending these two visual languages, they’ve created a semaglutide page that feels trustworthy and approachable—no easy feat, considering the subject matter.
It’s a great illustration of the challenges that graphic designers in healthcare face and the creative solutions they devise to make medical information more accessible and less intimidating.
Information architecture and navigation
Structured information is critical in healthcare communication, as patients often rely on clear, organized details to make informed decisions about their health.
Unstructured or overwhelming information in healthcare materials can lead to confusion, misunderstandings, or even errors in following medical guidance.
For example, a well-structured patient discharge brochure might organize instructions under clear sections, such as medication guidelines, follow-up care, and emergency contacts.
When complex information is broken down into easily digestible parts, healthcare providers ensure that patients can quickly find and understand key details, which is critical for their safety.
Designing intuitive navigation is equally important, especially in healthcare applications where users may need to access information swiftly, sometimes in stressful situations.
Healthcare apps like appointment booking systems or telemedicine platforms benefit from a clean layout with logical navigation paths that reduce user friction.
Healthily is one example of a healthcare app with a user-friendly design, demonstrating a clean layout, easy navigation, and well-structured information.
The home screen offers clear options like “Health Journal” and “Health Plans,” making it easy for users to locate key features quickly.
(Image source.)
The timeline-style journal allows patients to quickly view past interactions, reports, and articles, which helps them effectively track their healthcare journey.
The color choices are great, too. Simple icons, pastel colors, and clear buttons reduce cognitive load and simplify navigation. Research shows that colors also increase the reader’s attention span by 82%.
At the same time, the symptom check feature provides direct, easy-to-select options for common issues, helping users engage with the app better.
The use of accessible language and straightforward prompts (powered by AI) also makes this app feel approachable and personable, ensuring users feel comfortable managing their health through a digital tool–especially for those who have never done so.
Marketing and outreach
Healthcare is a field where trust is the biggest currency–hard to earn and easy to lose. As a result, all marketing and outreach materials must be designed to educate and reassure patients. Patients also need to know that the healthcare facility genuinely cares for them.
Graphic design plays a critical role in this process, as every element, from color choices to typography, influences how patients perceive the quality and integrity of a healthcare provider.
Thoughtfully designed materials can help communicate that a healthcare facility genuinely cares about its patients’ well-being.
(Image source.)
The above graphic by Cleveland Clinic exemplifies good design in healthcare communication. The illustration represents some of the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. The accompanying text makes identifying and understanding potential symptoms easier for patients.
Additionally, the design promotes inclusivity. It represents different genders and skin tones, indicating that side effects can affect anyone. The result? Patients feel more validated when they can relate to the information.
Accessibility in design
Patients come from different backgrounds, age groups, and abilities. Each one of us has unique lived experiences.
When graphic design is inclusive, healthcare organizations maximize their chances of being accessible to all.
Here are some examples of accessibility features:
- Large prints for people with vision problems.
- Clear language and translation options.
- Culturally relevant images.
- Easy-to-read fonts. – For example, Arial or Times New Roman fonts are easier to read than Pacifico fonts.
Best practices for creating accessible healthcare materials
Let’s have a look at some practices to help you create accessible healthcare materials:
- Use high-contrast color combinations: These improve readability, especially for patients with low vision.
- Avoid technical or complex medical jargon: You are promoting information to a lay audience, so use easy-to-understand language. If you are talking about hypertension, explain that it is the medical term for “high blood pressure.”
- Use universally recognizable symbols: These support visual comprehension.
- Use a mobile-friendly design: For digital information, make sure that the information is accessible on mobile devices.
- Offer alternative formats: Use braille (for print) or a translated version both for print and digital versions.
Regulatory considerations and ethical design
When designing for healthcare, it’s important to recognize legal requirements, especially as LLC laws differ by state. These laws may impact how sensitive patient information is communicated or how healthcare services are presented across different regions.
For instance, a healthcare LLC operating in California might face stricter data privacy requirements than another state, which could affect how patient data is visually represented and communicated.
Designers must be aware of these differences to ensure compliance with both state regulations and federal mandates like HIPAA. Collaborating with legal advisors familiar with these nuances can help maintain ethical standards and deliver impactful, compliant healthcare design.
Emerging trends in healthcare design
The rise of technology is changing healthcare in several ways:
- Telemedicine allows patients to access doctors and other health professionals from the comfort of their homes via a secure platform.
- Mobile apps equip people to monitor their health on the go. They can track their exercise, diet, and symptoms and schedule appointments. Such apps should be built with usability and accessibility in mind.
- Wearables, which include watches and other electronics worn on the body, are the latest healthcare trend. These devices track health data in real time and display it on a screen.
As for the future, these features could help personalize the patient’s health experience:
- Use of augmented reality (AR): Helps patients understand medical procedures visually and improve communication between the health professional and the patient.
- Enhanced AI-powered tools: These allow for intuitive, real-time health management apps and visual interfaces.
How DesignCrowd Can Help Elevate Your Graphic Design
DesignCrowd is an online platform that connects businesses with freelance graphic designers worldwide to create custom designs.
Here’s how it works:
- You’d submit a project brief outlining your requirements, preferences, and budget. The more detailed your brief, the better a graphic designer can accurately bring your vision to life.
- After your brief is live, graphic designers will submit their work. You can view all entries and contemplate which best reflects your requirements.
- You can speak to designers directly via the DesignCrowd platform to request revisions, offer feedback, etc. This is a good chance to gauge a designer’s responsiveness and ability to take on feedback.
- Once you’ve reviewed all the entries and provided feedback, you can select the design that best meets your needs. You then finalize the project with that designer, who will deliver the required files.
This crowdsourcing approach provides access to a pool of talented designers at competitive prices, making it a flexible solution for businesses of any size and type.
Final Thoughts
Graphic design is an important tool in healthcare. It helps providers inclusively communicate information to their service users. Informed patients are satisfied patients, which directly helps improve health outcomes.
To bring quality design into your healthcare projects, visit DesignCrowd to connect with talented designers and get started today.
About the author
Arif Bharakda is a versatile writer passionate about marketing, technology, and B2B insights. With a keen interest in personal growth, Arif brings a relatable perspective to complex topics, making them accessible to all readers.
Written by DesignCrowd on Tuesday, January 7, 2025
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.