The Visual GP: Bridging Napkin Sketches and Generative AI for Patient Education
Ömer ORAL, Aleyna UÇAR, Zeynep PEKEL and Melike AKÇAKAYA
Effective communication is the cornerstone of Family Medicine. Studies show that patients forget up to 80% of medical information provided verbally. Visual aids significantly improve health literacy and adherence; however, many General Practitioners (GPs) hesitate to use visuals due to a lack of artistic skill or time constraints. The rapid emergence of Generative AI (e.g., DALL-E, Midjourney) offers a novel solution, but it also raises questions regarding accuracy, ethics, and the human element of the consultation.This interactive workshop aims to empower GPs to visualize complex medical conditions using two distinct approaches: traditional "napkin sketches" and modern "AI prompting." Participants will: Learn to simplify complex pathophysiology into basic, hand-drawn schematics (analog). Acquire skills in "Prompt Engineering" to generate instant, personalized patient education visuals using AI tools (digital). Critically evaluate the risks (e.g., anatomical hallucinations) and benefits of AI versus the empathy of hand-drawn explanations.The session will follow a "Compare and Contrast" structure (60 mins): Introduction (5 min) Part 1 (15 mins): The Pen (Analog): Participants will be challenged to draw a specific condition (e.g., Heart Failure mechanisms) using simple geometric shapes. The focus is on clarity over artistry. Part 2 (15 mins) : The Prompt (Digital): Using their smartphones, participants will generate illustrations for the same condition using Generative AI tools. We will explore how to refine prompts for anatomical accuracy and patient-friendly styles. Part 3 (15 min) : The Critique: A guided discussion comparing the two outputs. We will debate: When is a crude drawing more empathetic than a polished AI image? How do we verify AI anatomy? Wrap-up (10 min) – Key take-home messagesBy the end of this workshop, participants will have an expanded toolkit for patient communication. They will leave with the confidence to use simple sketches for immediate explanation and the technical know-how to utilize AI tools responsibly for creating personalized health materials.The key takeaway is the importance of choosing the right method at the right time, balancing human warmth and clarity with the ethical use of technology in clinical communication.
