Mind Mapping in Medicine

Pablo Buitron de la Vega, a primary care physician and researcher at Boston Medical Center, shares his work on “Health Mind Mapping.” Trained in internal and preventive medicine, Pablo treats mainly Hispanic patients while researching how social determinants and patient perspectives affect health. His study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, explores how mind maps can capture patients’ understanding of their illnesses, empower them in care conversations, and shift dynamics with providers. Key Themes & Topics (Timestamped) [2:44] Career background – Trained in internal and preventive medicine; now primary care provider and researcher at Boston Medical Center. [3:45] Health Mind Mapping concept – Developed as a way to explore patients’ perceptions of illness using semi-structured interviews and maps. [6:44] Explanatory models of illness – Builds on anthropologist Arthur Kleinman’s framework for understanding how patients interpret disease. [8:40] Provider vs patient perspectives – Contrast between medical views (genetics, pathology) and patient views (complications, daily barriers). [10:51] Facilitated mapping process – Patients draw themselves at the center, guided by facilitators with minimal training, even without prior mapping experience. [13:32] Patient example map – A woman with diabetes illustrates causes (diet, inactivity), barriers (insurance, money), support (family, doctors), and fears. [16:53] Study design – Qualitative exploration of patient experiences, using interviews and grounded theory analysis to assess perceptions. [21:16] Findings: insight and action – Patients reported gaining new self-awareness and motivation to manage diet, medication, and provider questions. [24:57] Sharing and empowerment – Patients used maps to explain illness to family, peers, and providers, improving understanding and advocacy. [27:42] Shifting power dynamics – Maps reduce provider dominance, giving patients visual prompts to drive conversations during visits. [31:24] Future applications – Potential for digital, evolving maps to track patient progress and extend to other conditions beyond diabetes. [47:55] Broader uses in medicine – Mapping supports protocol development, qualitative research analysis, and medical education worldwide. Featuring MindMeister and iMindMap