Illustrated information leaflets 
and
illustrations for the medical sector

Effective consultations and satisfied patients who understand their diagnosis and treatment better and faster

Illustrated information leaflets 
and
illustrations for the medical sector

Effective consultations and satisfied patients who understand their diagnosis and treatment better and faster

effective consultations

satisfied patients

better care

effective consultations

satisfied patients

better care

effective consultations

satisfied patients

better care

What are the costs of misunderstood information or advice?

How many patients do not understand what you are trying to convey, hindered by emotions, education level, literacy and linguistic background? How many of your patients make decisions based on misunderstood diagnosis or treatment advice?

How much patient dissatisfaction could have been avoided? How much shorter could consultations have been?

Misunderstood information can be time-consuming, costly and frustrating.

Advantages of an illustrated medical leaflet or infographic:

Texts that 95% of the population understands (language level B1).

The beautiful, professionally designed end product, which you can hand out (possibly in addition to existing text folders).

Patients feel understood and seen, are more satisfied with the treatment.

Patients understand the implications of the choices made.

Save money with shorter and more effective consultations.

Also suitable for lower educated patients, low-literate people or people with a non-Dutch linguistic background.

Save time with shorter and more effective consultations.

Clear illustrations that help understand and remember medical information.

Patients better understand their diagnosis and treatment advice.

Irene Cécile helps

There is nothing more annoying than information and advice that is not understood. If your message does not get across, or even worse: if the other person thinks they understand you but misinterprets it. For example, due to a lack of basic knowledge, or a difference in language or education level.

Sometimes the barrier is so big that it seems almost impossible to get through to the other person. How can you properly reach and help your patients?

Clients for whom I previously made medical illustrations: 

About Irene Cécile

Biologist and medical illustrator

I like good visual communication. Beautiful products that communicate clearly and convey information well with the help of illustrations. Even if the information to be conveyed is labelled “difficult” or “complicated”. Even if the target group consists of children, people who do not speak Dutch as their first language, have a lower education level or are low literate.

I studied Biology at Leiden University and graduated in science communication. I often hear from clients that my university education contributes greatly to the collaboration and the end result.

After my studies in Biology, I continued studying at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague. Since 2009 I have been an independent (medical) illustrator.

Since then I have been able to do wonderful assignments, including for the LUMC, Amsterdam UMC, AMC Medical Research, UMCG and various general practitioners.

I can also consider Oxfam Novib, the Rescue Brigade Netherlands, the Royal Palace Amsterdam, the Salvation Army, the World Wildlife Fund and the natural history museum Naturalis as my clients.

About Irene Cécile

Biologist and medical illustrator

I like good visual communication. Beautiful products that communicate clearly and convey information well with the help of illustrations. Even if the information to be conveyed is labelled “difficult” or “complicated”. Even if the target group consists of children, people who do not speak Dutch as their first language, have a lower education level or are low literate.

I studied Biology at Leiden University and graduated in science communication. I often hear from clients that my university education contributes greatly to the collaboration and the end result.

After my studies in Biology, I continued studying at the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague. Since 2009 I have been an independent (medical) illustrator.

Since then I have been able to do wonderful assignments, including for the LUMC, Amsterdam UMC, AMC Medical Research, UMCG and various general practitioners.

I can also consider Oxfam Novib, the Rescue Brigade Netherlands, the Royal Palace Amsterdam, the Salvation Army, the World Wildlife Fund and the natural history museum Naturalis as my clients.

believe it can be done differently

I understand that you want to help your patients as best you can. The problem is that patients don’t always understand what you are saying. That they don’t know what a duodenum is, are afraid of an MRI scan, or don’t understand what “a risk of 10%” means. I understand how difficult it is if your message does not get across.

I also believe it can be done differently. That is why I help with clear visual folders and illustrations.

With leaflets that are tailored and illustrated to the patients, they understand better what their condition is, which treatments are possible and what they can do themselves.

So book a no-obligation consultation right away. Together we look at how I can help and which form is most appropriate. So that you no longer have to watch helplessly as people make decisions based on misunderstood information, poor knowledge or unfounded fear. So that your patients are well-informed, make well-founded choices with confidence, and are satisfied and happy with the way you guide them in this.

Save time and help patients even better

 

1. Schedule a meeting

… and discuss without obligation what information needs to be transferred, and which form is most appropriate.

 

2. Choose the package

… that best suits your needs and your budget and wait for Irene’s first design proposal.

 

3. Enjoy shorter consultations

… and satisfied patients

 

1. Plan een gesprek

… en bespreek vrijblijvend welke informatie er overgebracht moet worden, en welke vorm daar het beste bij past.

 

2. Kies het pakket

… dat het beste bij je wensen en je budget past, en wacht op Irene’s eerste ontwerpvoorstel.

 

3. Geniet van kortere consulten

… en tevreden patiënten.

Clients and testimonials:

Working with Irene is exceptionally rewarding; with her background as a biologist, she has a good understanding of the subject and which details can make the difference. She is open to suggestions, is reliable, and the dialogue is efficient. We started with a single project, and given the positive experience, we have expanded our collaboration and will now produce a series of medical infographics.

Liselotte van Hest

Clinical geneticist, Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc

For the various General Practitioners and CJGs (youth and family centers) in Apeldoorn, we wanted to have leaflets about fever and earaches for parents of young children. Irene turned out to be a real treasure: she made a beautiful simple design, with attractive and clearly communicating illustrations. Due to her academic background, we understood each other very well and were able to achieve results quickly. We are very happy with the result and receive many positive messages from GPs in the region.

William van Ark

Manager Zorg Spoedposten Apeldoorn, Winterswijk en Zutphen, HuisartsenOrganisatie Oost-Gelderland (HOOG)

Irene created beautifully detailed illustrations for my research project and helped me enormously with her suggestions for the drawings. The collaboration with Irene was easy and the illustrations were delivered very quickly. I am very happy with the result and hope that we will work together again in the future.

Dr. Mira Staphorst

researcher, Amsterdam UMC

Irene was exactly the right person to illustrate the comic book on scientific medicine research for children. With her background as a biologist and experience in scientific communication, she knew precisely what we needed. Irene asks clear and concrete questions to find out what you really want, immerses herself thoroughly in the target group and has valuable insights. In this way, she helped us propagate our ideas even stronger. In short, an illustrator who knows exactly what you want and need and who is great to work with!

Prof.dr. Jos van den Broek

Professor Emeritus of Science Communication, Universiteit Leiden

Working with Irene is exceptionally rewarding; with her background as a biologist, she has a good understanding of the subject and which details can make the difference. She is open to suggestions, is reliable, and the dialogue is efficient. We started with a single project, and given the positive experience, we have expanded our collaboration and will now produce a series of medical infographics.

Liselotte van Hest

Clinical geneticist, Amsterdam UMC, locatie VUmc

Irene was exactly the right person to illustrate the comic book on scientific medicine research for children. With her background as a biologist and experience in scientific communication, she knew precisely what we needed. Irene asks clear and concrete questions to find out what you really want, immerses herself thoroughly in the target group and has valuable insights. In this way, she helped us propagate our ideas even stronger. In short, an illustrator who knows exactly what you want and need and who is great to work with!

Prof.dr. Jos van den Broek

Professor emeritus of Science Communication, Universiteit Leiden

For the various General Practitioners and CJGs (youth and family centers) in Apeldoorn, we wanted to have leaflets about fever and earaches for parents of young children. Irene turned out to be a real treasure: she made a beautiful simple design, with attractive and clearly communicating illustrations. Due to her academic background, we understood each other very well and were able to achieve results quickly. We are very happy with the result and receive many positive messages from GPs in the region.

William van Ark

Manager Zorg Spoedposten Apeldoorn, Winterswijk en Zutphen, HuisartsenOrganisatie Oost-Gelderland (HOOG)

Scientific support:

  • Health literacy: 28.7% of Dutch adults have difficulty understanding and using the information needed to make decisions about their health.(HLS-EU Consortium, 2012).
  • Illustrations for better understanding: The addition of illustrations to patient information improves patient comprehension. There is a greater effect in non-white and female patients, and those with no more than secondary education. (Austin et al., 1995).
  • Simple line art: Drawings, and in particular simple line drawings, are better for understanding than photographs because too much detail can be distracting or cause cognitive overload.(Grootens-Wiegers, 2016; Houts et al., 2006; Mayer & Moreno, 2003; Readance & Moore, 1981).
  • Comic book informed consent: After reading the comic book illustrated by Irene Cécile that informs children about scientific drug research, 83% of the children aged 10-13 years (n =101) understood concepts such as randomisation, placebo and side effects. (Grootens-Wiegers et al., 2015).
  • Satisfaction: Visuals can not only improve memory, comprehension and patient compliance, but they also improve satisfaction with the information material. (Katz et al., 2006).
Literature:

Health literacy

28.7% of Dutch adults have difficulty understanding and using the information needed to make decisions about their health (HLS-EU Consortium, 2012).

Illustrations for better understanding

The addition of illustrations to patient information improves patient comprehension. There is a greater effect in non-white and female patients, and those with no more than secondary education (Austin et al., 1995).

Simple line art

Drawings, and in particular simple line drawings, are better for understanding than photographs because too much detail can be distracting or cause cognitive overload (Grootens-Wiegers, 2016; Houts et al., 2006; Mayer & Moreno, 2003; Readance & Moore, 1981).

Comic book informed consent

After reading the comic book illustrated by Irene Cécile that informs children about scientific drug research, 83% of the children aged 10-13 years (n =101) understood concepts such as randomisation, placebo and side effects (Grootens-Wiegers et al., 2015).

Satisfaction

Visuals can not only improve memory, comprehension and patient compliance, but they also improve satisfaction with the information material (Katz et al., 2006).

Literature:

Health literacy

28.7% of Dutch adults have difficulty understanding and using the information needed to make decisions about their health
Source: HLS-EU Consortium (2012)

HLS-EU Consortium (2012): Comparative report of health literacy in eight EU member states. The European health literacy survey HLS-EU (pdf download, 2,9MB).

Illustrations for better understanding

The addition of illustrations to patient information improves patient comprehension. There is a greater effect in non-white and female patients, and those with no more than secondary education.

Source: Austin et al., 1995

Austin, P. E., Matlack, R., 2nd, Dunn, K. A., Kesler, C., & Brown, C. K. (1995). Discharge instructions: do illustrations help our patients understand them? Annals of Emergency Medicine, 25(3), 317-320.

Simple line art

Drawings, and in particular simple line drawings, are better for understanding than photographs because too much detail can be distracting or cause cognitive overload.

Sources:

Comic book informed consent

After reading the comic book illustrated by Irene Cécile that informs children about scientific drug research, 83% of the children aged 10-13 years (n =101) understood concepts such as randomisation, placebo and side effects.

Source: Grootens-Wiegers et al., 2015

Grootens-Wiegers, P., De Vries, M. C., Van Beusekom, M. M., Van Dijck, L., & Van den Broek, J. M. (2015). Comic strips help children understand medical research: Targeting the informed consent procedure to children’s needs. Patient Education and Counseling, 98(4), 518-524.

Satisfaction

Visuals can not only improve memory, comprehension and patient compliance, but they also improve satisfaction with the information material.

Source: Katz et al., 2006

Katz, M. G., Kripalani, S., & Weiss, B. D. (2006). Use of pictorial aids in medication instructions: a review of the literature. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 63(23), 2391-2397. doi: 10.2146/ajhp060162

Frequently Asked Questions

Does such an illustrated information leaflet work for my question / topic / target group?

The information leaflets as I offer them here are not a one-size-fits-all solution. Sometimes a subject requires a more extensive folder or booklet. Other products will work better for some target groups.

Feel free to schedule a no-obligation meeting, we will discuss your questions and doubts. I’m happy to help you with what is best for your situation – even if that means referring you to a fellow illustrator or designer.

I need it very quickly - is that possible?

Let me know what your schedule is, so we can see if that is realistic. Once we agree on a schedule, I stick to it.

Does Irene understand this topic?

I was trained as a biologist, but naturally, I don’t know everything. Of course, I am willing to delve into topics. In fact, I love that!

If I still don’t understand certain things after doing my own research, I am open about it and ask for your help. Or if I have described or drawn things incorrectly, I would like to hear that. Helping your patients understand becomes a lot easier afterwards!

What can I expect when I order an information leaflet?

  1. I like to start with a meeting by telephone or video call. We will then discuss what you have in mind and what suits your question.
  2. Then I prepare a quotation so that everything is clearly stated on paper.
  3. After your approval, I make a first proposal for the texts and I make a sketch for the layout and illustrations, on which you can reflect.
  4. I process your feedback until you are completely satisfied with the result. Finally, I will provide a pdf for online publication, and have the folder (if desired) printed for you.

Couldn't we just as well use photos?

Drawings, and in particular simple line drawings, are better for understanding than photographs because too much detail can be distracting or cause cognitive overload.

Sources:

My target audience consists of children; isn't it better to use cartoon characters or animals?

Children prefer realistic images (Houts et al., 2006). In order to convey a message clearly to children, it is preferable that the images match the perception of the child (for example, by using images or drawings of children of the same age and ethnicity) (Grootens-Wiegers et al., 2015).

Sources:

According to the scientific literature, what are effective visuals that clarify medical information?

Not just any image provides more understanding; the effect is highly dependent on the quality and placement of the visual (Katz et al., 2006).

Visuals should be placed close to the text they refer to. Captions should be placed to explain the image and to indicate the most important parts of the image (Carney & Levin, 2002; Fillippatou & Pumfrey, 1996)

Line drawings facilitate understanding of a text more than shaded drawings or pictures, and the effect of images is greater when they are in colour (Readance & Moore, 1981). Simple drawings are better for comprehension than detailed photographs because too much detail can be distracting or cause cognitive overload (Houts et al., 2006; Mayer & Moreno, 2003). In health education, people prefer pictures that refer to their own culture and that contain people they can identify with (Dowse & Ehlers, 2001; Hosey & Stracqualursi, 1990).

Sources:

You may know my illustrations from:

Irene’s medical illustrations in short (in Dutch):

Video (in Dutch):

Do you want more information, a chat or request a quote?

Would you like to discuss whether an illustrated information folder can also be a good solution for you?
Or do you only need separate illustration(s), for example for use in a publication or a Patient Information Form (PIF)?
I would love to hear what your wishes are in a no-obligation conversation. Based on that I can then prepare a quote for you.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This