VHUtchinson_Assess Viewer Response to Visual Presentation_110823
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Rasmussen College, Florida *
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MMC3407CBE
Subject
Medicine
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Assess Viewer Response to Visual Presentation
Rasmussen University
Victoria Hutchinson
MMC3407CBE: Visual Communication in the Media
Professor Sharon Thieman
November 8, 2023
Dear Health Care Provider,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to provide feedback regarding the layout and
design of the medical bills issued by UVM Medical Center. As a Clinical Nurse Specialist at
UVM, I recently had the opportunity to assist my grandmother in interpreting her medical bill
from a recent stay at our hospital. However, I found the bill quite confusing, and even after
contacting the hospital for clarification, it remained difficult to understand. I could not focus
because of the black-and-white colors, fonts, and sizes. Improving the medical bill's visual
organization, connectivity, and aesthetics can significantly enhance its clarity and facilitate better
understanding for patients and their families. I want to offer some specific recommendations
based on these concepts. One of the most significant issues I had with the bill was its need for
visual organization.
Visual organization:
One of the most significant issues I had with the bill was its need for visual
organization. The bill contained much information, but it needed to be presented in a way that
was easy to understand. The use of white space could be improved to make the bill less cluttered
and easier to read. For example, the bill could use more spacing between charges or sections to
make distinguishing between different items more accessible. The font could be better for
patients with visual issues like my grandmother. Adding some highlights on the amount owed
and due date will help give a clearer picture for those who cannot see everything well. Also, the
number to contact someone for questions could be in bold print to be easier to locate and see.
Connectivity:
Another issue I had with the bill was its need for connectivity. Bill charges on the
bill were not connected to the services that were provided. The bill could use lines or arrows to
connect charges to the services provided, or bullet points to indicate the order in which charges
were incurred could help patients better understand the sequence of events leading up to their
hospital stay. There are multiple dates, which can be confusing for someone who needs help
understanding them, and the colors are light, so it is hard to read them. The amount due and due
date took much work to read. The patient did not see the due date, with everything blending
together with no organization. Language inconsistency and jargon; "Contractual All" was
incredibly confusing.
Aesthetics:
The bill could benefit from a more aesthetically pleasing design. While I understand
that the bill's primary goal is to convey information, using color could make the bill more
visually appealing and easier to understand. For example, using different colors to indicate
different types of charges could help patients quickly identify important information. Using
images or icons to represent specific services or items could help patients understand the bill
more quickly and easily, mainly if they are unfamiliar with medical terminology or billing codes.
Applying the Gestalt proximity principle to your design can group similar things together
without using hard borders. By placing similar items together or with space between each group,
the patient will immediately understand the organization and structure you want them to see.
Improving the bill's visual organization, connectivity, and aesthetics could go a long way toward
making it more user-friendly.
When a patient looks at a bill, they would like it to be clear, especially if they have special
accommodations regarding eyesight. Adding color, changing font, and adding bullet points or
numbers can drastically help when it comes to reading medical bills.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Victoria Hutchinson
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References:
Clark, M. (December 18, 2019)Etactics.
Patient Statement Design Basics: Elements To Make
Everything Understandable.
https://etactics.com/blog/patient-statement-design-basics#color=
MailMyStatements (August 29, 2018)Medium.
8 Essential Elements Of a Patient-Friendly
Medical Bill.
https://mailmystatement.medium.com/the-essential-elements-of-a-patient-friendly-
medical-bill-9bf1117236f8
McCurdy, K. (August 15, 2017)Medium.
Making medical bills less terrifying with human-
centered design
.
https://medium.com/design-uvmmc/making-medical-bills-less-terrifying-with-
human-centered-design-6ebe20d877d4