Scale, Scope, Speed: Reflections on a Multi-site Covid-19 Study

Designers have a unique role to play in public health, but their involvement requires an examination their practices and methods for their fit with this new context. This article reflects on the experiences of a multi-site design team collaborating across the US and Canada to explore early-stage Covid-19 patient recovery experiences. A unique feature of this project is that it was conceived of, led by, and executed by designers situated in health systems and health research units working in diverse geographies to jointly investigate a public health phenomenon at a broad scale. We discuss three challenges to design practice encountered in this context—scale, scope, and speed. Lastly, we draw from the design teams' cross-sector expertise to pose key questions for design as it migrates to the public health sector.

"I don't know how we would have coped without it." Understanding the Importance of a Virtual Hospital Visiting Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

As the COVID-19 pandemic reached Canada in full strength, the concept of allowing visiting to patients became an impossibility in most healthcare organizations. In March 2020, hospitals across Canada made the decision to close to visitors. This was a complicated decision which left admitted patients with very little option for connecting with family and friends other than through the telephone. In response, North York General Hospital launched a virtual family visiting (VFV) program across all inpatient units. Here we report the findings of a qualitative study of the program informed by an interpretive descriptive approach. Interviews were conducted with families who participated in the VFV program at North York General Hospital in Toronto, Canada during the first wave of the COVID pandemic. A total of 24 family members were interviewed. As anticipated, the family members were all extremely pleased with the opportunity to connect virtually and very satisfied with the VFV program. What was less anticipated was the anxiety and distress that families experienced in being separated from their loved ones. Our data analysis revealed 4 key themes which we have labeled (a) the unforeseen consequences of separation trauma, (b) increased vulnerability of patients and family, (c) a lifeline of human connection, and (d) the role of the facilitator as a connector. This work contributes significantly to a system-level understanding of the impact of imposed separation, increased vulnerability, and the importance of providing an alternative way for families to be present with their loved ones in these unprecedented times.