My wound and I: patients' perspective

Clinical photography is beneficial to clinicians and healthcare teams in the care of patients and wound management. The aim of this study was to investigate patients' perspective of wound photography in an NHS hospital outpatient clinic, assessing its personal benefits and wider applications. Patients were asked to participate in a questionnaire, to identify information about their wound(s), investigate their perspective of the benefits and uses of wound photography, as well as their preference regarding imaging operators and devices. Results showed that all participants thought that clinical images offer a more comprehensive record of their wound when used in conjunction with measurements and written descriptions. The majority of patients considered wound photography of benefit to them, to monitor their healing and they also appreciated the wider uses of these images. Clinical photographers were the preferred choice as the image operator, whereas the preference for the imaging device used was not as significant. In conclusion, participants considered wound photography to be beneficial for personal and broader purposes, with the current clinical photography service being rated highly. These findings give an insight into the patients' perspective of wound photography, which can be useful when developing and delivering services within the NHS.