top of page
robin-spielmann-5qokP1G303I-unsplash_edi

EXPERT TIPS

Leveraging Data Visualization
in Healthcare Communications

EDITED.Mark Bennett.jpg

By Mark Bennett, Jeff Winton Associates Consultant

If you are anything like me, you are probably a visual learner. In fact, according to one study, 65% of people are visual learners.

With that in mind, and given our data-driven healthcare environment, effectively communicating complex information is crucial for engaging with your stakeholders, whether they are journalists, healthcare professionals (HCPs), patients or caregivers. Data visualization is a valuable way to present healthcare data in understandable, visually appealing formats. You can also use a visualization to show how data points are connected, as the team at HealthQuant did recently for HCP conversations on BlueSky (the social network rivaling Twitter/X), during the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting.   

Here are a few tips to consider when thinking about how you can leverage data visualization in healthcare communications.

Make It Compelling

  • Start with a clear objective: Define the key messages you want to convey before creating (or briefing your creative colleague).

  • Consider your audience’s data literacy level. For example, HCPs may be more attuned to data visualizations than a patient or caregiver. 

  • Highlight critical points: Use size, color or position to draw attention to the most important data points or trends.

  • Provide context: Include relevant comparisons to help viewers interpret the data, such as making a comparison to the size of the Statue of Liberty
     

Choose the Right Format

  • Depending on resources and time, determine the most effective format, such as an animation or a still graphic, like this infographic I worked on a while back.

  • Look beyond health care for inspiration. Take cues from fields such as sports, finance or data science. I often get inspired by professional sports visualizations, such as this one about Aaron Judge

  • Select visualization types that best fit your data and message (e.g., bar charts, pie charts, icons, emojis).

  • If you are distributing online, always keep in mind how your visuals will appear on mobile devices. For social media, ensure that you optimize your visualization for each platform (e.g., image size, animation length).
     

Design for Clarity and Impact

  • Keep it simple! Avoid clutter or unnecessary content.

  • Ensure accuracy – double-check data sources. Then check again.

  • Use contrasting colors to enhance readability and accessibility. 

  • If targeted for digital consumption, consider making the design interactive, allowing for more data to be included in embedded videos, dropdowns, etc. 

  • Improve accessibility: Include alt-text on social platforms (or within your website’s HTML code) to describe your image.

I hope you found these tips helpful and that they empower you to leverage the power of data visualization to drive understanding (and action) in health care – and doing so with a pretty picture! If you are looking for more communications advice, check out the lineup of Expert Tips blogs by Jeff Winton Associates (JWA) consultants. 

 

Mark Bennett is a communications professional with extensive experience in biopharmaceutical corporate and product communications across multiple therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, oncology and rare disease. He has held leadership roles in both agencies and major corporations, developing award-winning integrated communications campaigns in the U.S. and globally. 

2025 Jeff Winton Associates. All Rights Reserved.

bottom of page