ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATO

Ihave worked as an emergency medicine physician for 20 years and have seen poor health literacy affect my patients firsthand.

Early in my career, I drew stick figures and anatomy on paper towels or on whiteboards in my patients' rooms. I saw the utility of visual aids to explain medical concepts. Over the years, I created better images that incorporated real-time patient feedback. I tried many different iterations: everything from more realistic, traditional images to super “cartoony” images. I found that the perfect style of illustration lies between the two. The style in Diagnosketch works best because it relays accurate information in a simple, colorful, and non­threatening way. It gets the point across without being too cartoony or “dumbed down.” I now use these images with the majority of my patients. It is satisfying to know that I have not only treated diseases but also helped my patients understand their diagnoses.

I realized that we, as medical professionals, do a great job diagnosing disease. We run blood tests, urine tests, x-rays, and CT scans. We come up with an accurate di­agnosis and start proper treatments. Yet, sometimes, when we try to explain everything to our patients, we may not communicate the information as clearly as possible. I hope that Diagnosketch will be used to fill this gap.

Diagnosketch is a multiyear project with multiple revisions and rounds of feedback. I welcome your suggestions, comments, and feedback to make it a useful tool for all patient education needs. Thank you.

Sapana Adhikari, MD https://www.diagnosketch.com diagnosketch@gmail.com