Using photovoice to teach healthcare quality

Healthcare quality frameworks are commonly taught in graduate healthcare administration education; however, students may struggle to connect abstract quality concepts to real-world healthcare experiences. Photovoice offers an experiential learning approach that combines community observation, visual documentation, and structured reflection to promote deeper understanding of healthcare systems and patient experiences. This study examined how a photovoice assignment influenced student understanding of the Institute of Medicine’s six dimensions of healthcare quality. This qualitative study involved a secondary analysis of student photovoice assignments and post-assignment reflection surveys completed across three graduate healthcare administration course cohorts. Reflection survey responses from 55 unique students were analyzed using qualitative framework analysis supported by NVivo 14. The Institute of Medicine’s six dimensions of healthcare quality (Safe, Timely, Effective, Efficient, Equitable, and Patient-Centered) served as the analytical framework. Analysis revealed three overarching educational outcomes: recognition of patient-centered care as a relational process grounded in communication, trust, and empathy; increased awareness of health inequities and barriers to care; and development of systems thinking through reflection on organizational policies, processes, and healthcare access. Students connected healthcare quality concepts to community observations involving affordability, language barriers, patient dignity, and organizational decision-making. Patient-centeredness and equity emerged as the most frequently emphasized dimensions. Photovoice served as an effective experiential learning strategy for teaching healthcare quality within graduate healthcare administration education. The assignment supported critical reflection, systems thinking, and application of healthcare quality concepts to authentic community experiences. Findings suggest that community-engaged learning activities may strengthen student understanding of healthcare quality, health equity, and patient-centered care while supporting professional development among future healthcare leaders.