Samantha L. Watts
Cultivating Emotional Well-Being and Patient Connection Through Art: Insights from Radiology
Samantha L. Watts
Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine
slwatts@bu.edu
Erin A. Cooke
Justin Holder
Objective: Radiology is a visual field that inherently values images, making the aesthetic and emotional aspects of the visual arts particularly relevant. However, the utility of art in clinical practice remains unclear. This study investigates radiologists' perceptions of art to inform strategies for enhancing practitioner well-being and patient care through practical integration methods.
Methods: This retrospective analysis reviewed voluntary participant survey feedback from the American College of Radiology (ACR) art exhibits from 2021 to 2023. Each year built on previous findings to explore the emotional and practical aspects of art integration in radiology, aiming to guide effective strategies. Data analysis included quantitative Likert-scale assessments of art's impact on well-being and qualitative thematic analysis of integration themes, employing a cumulative approach to identify trends.
Results and Discussion: In 2021, Aesthetic and Personal Reflection: Participants provided feedback on their experiences creating art, highlighting two key themes: the aesthetic appeal and role of art as a creative outlet that enhances work-life balance, and the integration of radiological themes, where some artists depicted clinical procedures or conveyed health education messages. These findings support art's value in supporting emotional well-being. In 2022, Impact on Well-Being and Clinical Practice was measured: 63.8% of respondents felt that engagement with art positively impacted their well-being, generating feelings of intrigue, calmness, and excitement. 75.3% believed art exhibits could drive changes in clinical practice, especially respondents in gastrointestinal, chest, and neuroradiology. This highlights art's potential to enhance practitioner engagement. In 2023, Practical Suggestions for Art Integration was measured: Participants proposed ways to enhance patient interactions, including art stations in pediatric waiting rooms and art therapy sessions as creative outlets. They recommended increasing clinical relevance with ceiling art displays during imaging and incorporating radiologic images into art and murals. They also identified opportunities for educational integration, such as using art to teach diagnostic imaging signs and linking art interpretation with diagnostic reasoning workshops. Based on radiologists’ insights, these strategies may be more successful in enhancing the clinical environment, communication, and empathy.
Conclusion: Radiologists' perspectives on art integration can inform strategies for successful implementation and guide future research on its impact across diverse clinical settings.
BIOGRAPHIES
Samantha Watts, a medical student at Boston University School of Medicine, graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from SUNY Buffalo. She is a Rebecca Lee Crumpler Scholar and an Edward Avedisian Scholar, among other honors. Samantha serves as Visual Arts Chair for the Arts & Humanities in Radiology at the Association of Academic Radiology and is Co-President of BUSM’s Creative Arts Society and ArtSpace groups. She leads the 3 Wishes Project and founded the Heart to Art program at Boston Medical Center. Her research, presented at major conferences, covers radiology, neurology, and addiction, with current projects exploring art’s role in enhancing patient care and physician well-being.
Erin A. Cooke, MD, is Professor of Radiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and will be joining the University of Colorado in the role of Vice Chair of Education January 2025. She served as VUMC Diagnostic Radiology (DR) Residency Program Director 2022-2024 and as Co-Program Director of the DR Residency Program at Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC) 2017-2020. With a wide breadth of clinical expertise, having practiced abdominal imaging, neuroradiology and musculoskeletal imaging following an MRI fellowship at Ochsner in 2011, she served as VMMC Neuroradiology Section head 2015-2017. An active contributor to Association of Academic Radiologists (AAR), Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR), American Board of Radiology (ABR), American College of Radiology (ACR), Alliance of Clinical Educators in Radiology (ACER), and Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR), she has chaired committees in APDR and ACR and is a deputy editor for Academic Radiology. Nationally recognized as a leader in integrating the arts into radiology with a dual background as a radiologist and artist with a BA in Studio Art from Wake Forest University, she has chaired the ACR PFCC Art Subcommittee, developed APDR arts resources, and co-founded the AAR Arts and Humanities Special Interest Group.
Justin Holder, MD, is Assistant Professor of Radiology at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, NY. He focuses on abdominal imaging and contributes to multiple national societies, including the ACR’s PFCC Art Subcommittee, New York State Radiological Society and the Society of Abdominal Radiology.