Outpatient imaging can be stressful, confusing, and emotionally taxing for patients. This multi-semester collaboration with UC Health Radiology and GE Healthcare focused on understanding the CT and MRI patient experience and designing educational tools and services that provide clarity, reduce anxiety, and support more connected care.
Reducing uncertainty in high-stress healthcare moments. Patients arriving for imaging often: Feel unprepared for what will happen during a scan Lack clear, unbiased information Experience anxiety that impacts satisfaction and compliance
At the same time, clinicians and staff lacked shared tools to consistently educate and guide patients. The opportunity was to improve patient understanding while supporting staff with aligned, reusable resources.
Patient journey maps were created for both MRI and CT experiences that explain all touch points and decisions during the process. Starting from scheduling your appointment to where the scan will happen to when to expect results was clearly defined to provide clarity for a complicated process.
“When patients know what to expect, the entire experience changes.”
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Radiology Stakeholder
The imaging experience spans many touch points: scheduling, arrival, preparation, scanning, and follow-up, involving physicians, technologists, administrators, and patients. The challenge was to design solutions that: Support patients emotionally and cognitively Fit into existing workflows Scale across departments Meet clinical accuracy and operational standards
The team conducted primary and secondary research, including:
The team prioritized Educational Tools as the most immediate, high-impact opportunity. Next, research continued to identify possible mediums and topics to include. A comprehensive pamphlet following the patient journey and video were developed based on feedback from patients, staff, and clinical stakeholders.
The final educational materials included a journey guide pamphlet and introduction video. These materials were tested and refined through co-creation sessions and a formal survey of 52 patients and 37 care team members. These resources helped patients better understand what to expect, reducing anxiety and improving overall experience. Staff benefitted from consistent, reusable resources that aligned communication across the care team.
