Conversation starter: Laura Howard 

Laura is really interested in the power of visual images to convey information. In health and care we produce many visuals – scans and x-rays for example – but these are used solely for staff to refer to. Are we overlooking a valuable resource? If we used these images to educate people about the nature of their injuries or condition, could we improve their understanding, enabling them to play a bigger part in their own treatment and recovery? Could we empower patients with this information?

The group discussed the challenges of scalability, how a radiographer could have a conversation with each individual when they look at many images in a day. Despite these challenges, it was agreed there is an important point to be made about patients feeling engaged in their treatment and being dealt with as human beings. Patients should be active, not passive, within the system.