Health Information Brochure with Freelance Graphic Designer

The task of design in a health information brochure is not to produce medical information, but to organize the information approved by the institution's authorized experts in an understandable manner. It should be clear what the reader needs to know, what steps to follow, and where to turn if they have questions. This post is about graphic design and content organization; does not provide medical advice.

Give a brochure one main task

“Let's explain our clinic” and “Let's explain which documents will be prepared before the appointment” are different tasks. The first is promotion, the second is transaction support. Combining the two heavily on the same surface can make it difficult for the reader to find the information they are looking for.

In the content meeting, determine the reader of the brochure, the place of distribution and the moment of use. A person in the waiting area may take the time to explain the lengthy explanation, while a small brochure handed over at the concierge desk may need to be read more quickly. The goal is to answer the question needed at that moment rather than touching on every topic.

Prepare the content with three separate responsibilities

Expert approval: The accuracy of health-related statements, warnings and scope are evaluated by the authorized expert of the institution. The graphic designer should not rewrite the treatment description with his or her own interpretation.

Editorial editing: It is necessary to reduce repetitive sentences, ask for approved explanations for technical words, and put the information in the reading order. Any simplification that affects meaning must again be subject to expert approval.

Visual treatment: Headings, spacing, photos and prompts carry this approved text. Instead of removing an important statement because it does not fit, the format or number of pages should be re-evaluated.

Example: how can the appointment preparation brochure be divided?

The structure below is a hypothetical design example. It should be organized according to each institution's own process and expert evaluation.

• Cover: The purpose of the brochure and for whom it is prepared.
• First internal panel: Document or preparation list approved by the institution.
• Middle panel: Administrative steps to be followed on the day of the appointment.
• Last panel: Address, contact channel and support path.
• Small information area: Content version and institution approval date.

This example assumes no medical preparation instructions. If such an instruction is required, the relevant healthcare professional should provide the content. The graphic designer ensures that the text is easily found on the page and is conveyed completely.

The folding order differs from the page order on the screen

The panels seen side by side in the trifold brochure are read in different orders when closed and opened. Check which title the reader encounters first by creating a simple physical mock-up before printing. If the continuation of a step remains on an unexpected side of the brochure, the numbering or panel distribution can be rearranged.

Long contact information, small footnotes and light text should be examined separately in the life-sized proof. Don't show important distinctions with color alone; Also use a title or a clear tag. If a QR code is placed, the content of the link and its opening on mobile should be tested; Basic contact information should not be left to the code alone.

The job of photography should not be to imitate trust

The photo is valuable if it describes the environment or service being described. The impression that a stock person is an employee of the institution should not be created. Permission and scope of use of real person photographs must be verified by the institution. It should not be assumed that every image sent to the designer is publishable.

Sometimes a simple layout diagram or sequence of steps is more useful for conveying information than a photograph. This choice is made based on the purpose of the brochure; It is not necessary to fill all fields with images.

What do you record in the confirmation file?

Record the content version, changed sections, and who gave final approval. Separate text approval from print approval: one refers to the accuracy of the information, the other refers to acceptance of the production file. In the last stage, re-check the phone number, address and connections; Just because the design looks good does not mean that these details are up to date.

As Selçuk Aker, I handle the approved content together with the reading order and production conditions in the brochure design work. When sharing the project scope simply indicate the destination of the brochure, the place of distribution and the approval status of the text.