“Perspective in photography … is an extension of one’s thoughts, feelings and emotions in terms of the subject being shot.”
—Kevin McNeal

We are delighted to congratulate Joanna L. Hart, MD and John Hansen-Flaschen, MD of the Fostering Improvement in End-of-life Decision Science program at the University of Pennsylvania for their winning photography project called “The View from the Bed.”

With patient and family permissions, Dr. Hart and Dr. Hansen-Flaschen plan to place a stationary, remote-activated camera with a wide-angle lens at the head of patient beds in the Medical Intensive Care Unit, gathering images from the perspective of the patients. Hart and Hansen-Flaschen believe that “Capturing the emotions of family members will serve as powerful motivators to individuals who have not considered or completed advanced care planning.” The photos then will be used as the centerpiece of an informational campaign to promote advanced care planning among the public. Experience the power of such a project here.

(Here at the Action Mill we can’t help but notice that Philadelphia is home to two of the three winners of the national End-of-Life Care Challenge: Catalyzing Communication about End-of-Life Care — Penn’s The View from the Bed and Action Mill’s very own A Gift of Grace.)