VME Case Studies | Emory School of Medicine

Emory Visual Medical Education creates a wide variety of projects in the areas we serve. These case studies are only a few of the hundreds of projects we have been involved in. They showcase some of the different uses of visual education. Some project represent a few hours of work, and some were more than a year in development. Each was carefully designed to help our Emory collaborators achieve their goals, sometimes in unexpected and innovative ways.

Molnupiravir Animation

Created by Michael Konomos

This animation tells the story of Molnupiravir, an investigational oral COVID-19 drug invented and developed by scientists at Emory University. This was developed as an explainer for the lay public. In this video we used real models of the proteins involved to give the "characters" more tangible and believable shapes. We also made heavy use of visual metaphors to ensure that the overall concepts are understood and retained by learners of any educational level.

Putting PPE ON: Illustrated handout that was used to instruct clinical staff in the process of safely putting on personal protective equipment. (donning PPE)

Emory PPE Education

Created by Michael Konomos, Mao Miyamoto, and Rachel Chandler

Emory Serious Communicable Diseases Program, Emory Infection Prevention, and Emory Visual Medical Education teamed up to create a large number of visual guides for the use, extended wear, and reuse of personal protective equipment (PPE). These guides have been used with enthusiasm all over the world, because they not only address ideal PPE standards, but give guidance when supplies are running low.

SARS-CoV-2 Model Rotating 360º

Created by Satyen Tripathi

Animated 360 view of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus based on data from the Protein Data Bank. If you work for Emory, please contact us if you need the original movie file instead of this YouTube link.

DBS CareTrak app as viewed on an mobile device. Illustration of a deep brain stimulation electrode inserted into a person's brain.

DBS (Deep Brain Stimulation) CareTrek

Created by Bona Kim

We designed a mobile app that guides the patient through the complex deep brain stimulation (DBS) journey. With full integration to the electronic medical record (EMR), the app is intended to improve the patient experience, enhance clinic efficiency, and provide transparency in the process. VME’s Bona Kim led the clinical process research, user research, wireframe development, prototype design, content strategy, and information architecture.

Apple Appstore | Google Play

The Purpose of Your Procedure: A page from a larger patient education guide. This page depicts the anatomy of the digestive system including the small bowel and the large bowel (colon)

ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) for Patients

Created by Satyen Tripathi

In order to improve outcomes after surgery and decrease length of stay for the patients, Emory colorectal surgeons developed a program called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). One aspect of this program was the creation of printed and digital patient education. The purpose of the education was to guide patients through their surgical journey, from clinic visits to at home care after surgery. Working alongside a team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses, we developed a printed booklet, a series of animations, and an educational webapp. As a result of the initiative, overall length of stay for patients decreased.

SCORE Surgical Anatomy

Created by Andy Matlock

A large volume of 3D-models were created to accurately depict surgical anatomy to residents in training. The resulting illustrations are available to trainees with access to SCORE.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Created by Satyen Tripathi

In conjunction with the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association, Emory surgeons are developing a portal to provide education to patients. A series of animations were developed to provide an overview of different surgical procedures. An example of one of the animations describing a pancreaticoduodenectomy, or Whipple procedure, can be seen here.

Dorsal Lumbotomy

Created by Satyen Tripathi

The purpose of these illustrations was to show the operative technique for a dorsal lumbotomy nephrectomy for patients with end stage renal disease. The illustrations accompanied a manuscript that detailed the lesser-known technique for urologists.

Illustrations of the brain anatomy. Includes four illustrations.

AAN Neuroanatomy lecture series for Advanced Practice Provider (APP)

Created by Bona Kim

Neuroanatomy learning has long been tedious and reduced to simply learning the pathways drawn as they were discovered decades ago. 3D animations are created to facilitate neurology trainee and APP learning of advanced neuroanatomy.

Illustration of the process improvement map for the Emory Sleep Center.

Emory Sleep Center Process improvement

Created by Bona Kim

Emory Sleep Center was seeking to improve manual processes communicating between multiple software applications. Research was performed to reconfigure Emory Sleep Center’s complex clinic process and find areas for improvement by interfacing with stakeholders and IT teams. Status process diagrams were created to support EMR integration

Stop The Flu and COVID Too! This poster was printed and displayed at Emory hospital locations to help control the spread of COVID and influenza.

Flu and COVID Poster

Created by Michael Konomos

We designed this sign to be printed in a large format and posted indoors at Emory Healthcare hospital and clinical locations so that patients, visitors, and staff would increase health behaviors that prevent the spread of flu and COVID. We also designed a smaller flyer that can be posted within individual units.

Small flyer (PDF 3.8MB)

The poster is deceptively simple on the surface but draws upon principles of psychology and design to engage the viewer. We only have milliseconds to engage them. Human beings are drawn to faces, and eyes in particular. This is what grabs the initial attention of the viewer. The image is a little humorous, which helps the subject let down their guard and feel curious. Then they see the red bold word "STOP" which subconsciously urges the viewer to literally slow or stop their movement and pay more careful attention. The subject of the sign "Flu and COVID" is the next bit of information registered, so the topic is immediately understood. Now that they are fully engaged, they are presented with simple, memorable, visual actions that they are urged to take.

Citrate Protocol. Instructional card for the operation of dialysis machine that includes color coded symbols and labels to aid understanding

Citrate Protocol (ICU)

Created by Satyen Tripathi

This piece was designed to be printed and displayed on a dialysis cart in the ER to guide the citrate protocol administration in the intensive care unit. The goal is to help health care providers and increase patient safety at the point of care.