Using Human-Centered Design to Build a Digital Health Advisor for Patients With Complex Needs: Persona and Prototype Development.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Background
Twenty years ago, a "Guardian Angel" or comprehensive digital health advisor was proposed to empower patients to better manage their own health. This is now technically feasible, but most digital applications have narrow functions and target the relatively healthy, with few designed for those with the greatest needs.Objective
The goal of the research was to identify unmet needs and key features of a general digital health advisor for frail elderly and people with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers.Methods
In-depth interviews were used to develop personas and use cases, and iterative feedback from participants informed the creation of a low-fidelity prototype of a digital health advisor. Results were shared with developers, investors, regulators, and health system leaders for suggestions on how this could be developed and disseminated.Results
Patients highlighted the following goals: "live my life," "love my life," "manage my health," and "feel understood." Patients and caregivers reported interest in four functions to address these goals: tracking and insights, advice and information, providing a holistic picture of the patient, and coordination and communication. Experts and system stakeholders felt the prototype was technically feasible, and that while health care delivery organizations could help disseminate such a tool, it should be done in partnership with consumer-focused organizations.Conclusions
This study describes the key features of a comprehensive digital health advisor, but to spur its development, we need to clarify the business case and address the policy, organizational, and cultural barriers to creating tools that put patients and their goals at the center of the health system.
SUBMITTER: Bhattacharyya O
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6532339 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Using Human-Centered Design to Build a Digital Health Advisor for Patients With Complex Needs: Persona and Prototype Development.
Bhattacharyya Onil O Mossman Kathryn K Gustafsson Lovisa L Schneider Eric C EC
Journal of medical Internet research 20190509 5
<h4>Background</h4>Twenty years ago, a "Guardian Angel" or comprehensive digital health advisor was proposed to empower patients to better manage their own health. This is now technically feasible, but most digital applications have narrow functions and target the relatively healthy, with few designed for those with the greatest needs.<h4>Objective</h4>The goal of the research was to identify unmet needs and key features of a general digital health advisor for frail elderly and people with multi ...[more]
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