Design and implementation of a novel patient-centered empowerment approach for pain optimisation in children undergoing major surgery.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric surgery is a stressful experience for patients and caregivers. While standardised protocols are the norm, patient-centred approaches are needed to empower patients/caregivers for an optimal perioperative pain experience. To address this gap, we employed a patient-centred approach using design thinking (DT) methodology to develop insights, map processes, identify opportunities and design solutions for individualised empowerment tools. METHODS: In consultation with DT experts, a multidisciplinary team of stakeholders (healthcare providers, patients who underwent pectus excavatum/scoliosis surgery and their caregivers), were invited to participate in surveys, interviews and focus groups. The project was conducted in two sequential stages each over 24 weeks-involving 7 families in stage 1 and 16 patients/17 caregivers in stage 2. Each stage consisted of three phases: design research (focus groups with key stakeholders to review and apply collective learnings, map processes, stressors, identify influencing factors and opportunities), concept ideation (benchmarking and co-creation of new solutions) and concept refinement. RESULTS: In stage 1, mapping of stress/anxiety peaks identified target intervention times. We identified positive and negative influencers as well as the need for consistent messaging from the healthcare team in our design research. Current educational tools were benchmarked, parent-child engagement dyads determined and healthcare-based technology-based solutions conceived. The 'hero's journey' concept which has been applied to other illness paradigms for motivation successfully the was adapted to describe surgery as a transformative experience. In stage 2, patient and caregiver expectations, distinct personas and responses to perioperative experience were categorised. Educational tools and an empowerment tool kit based on sensorial, thinking, relaxation and activity themes, tailored to parent/child categories were conceptualised. CONCLUSION: DT methodology provided novel family centred insights, enabling design of tailored empowerment toolkits to optimise perioperative experience. Adapting the hero's journey call to adventure may motivate and build resilience among children undergoing surgery.

A User-Centered Evaluation of a COVID-19 Intelligent Query System (COVID-IQS).

As the fight against COVID-19 continues, it is critical to discover and accumulate knowledge in scientific literature to combat the pandemic. In this work, we shared the experience in developing an intelligent query system on COVID-19 literature. We conducted a user-centered evaluation with 12 researchers in our institution and identified usability issues in four categories: distinct user needs, functionality errors, suboptimal information display, and implementation errors. Furthermore, we shared two lessons for building such a COVID-19 literature search engine. We will deploy the system and continue refining it through multiple phases of evaluation to aid in redesigning the system to accommodate different user roles as well as enhancing repository features to support collaborative information seeking. The successful implementation of the COVID-IQS can support knowledge discovery and hypothesis generation in our institution and can be shared with other institutions to make a broader impact.

Human-Centered Design Thinking in Radiology.

Design thinking is an innovative, human-centered approach to problem-solving. In design thinking, teams step away from immediate and reactionary approaches to complex problems in favor of novel, broader approaches. The key tenets of empathy and user-centered insights are emphasized. The primary objective in this holistic approach is to keep the needs, desires, and behaviors of all stakeholders involved in the ecosystem at the center of the design process. This approach creates more extensive, more diverse, and more productive teams in which each member is invested in the changes being designed and proposed. This review highlights the methodology, outcome metrics, advantages, and challenges of human-centered design in health care and radiology.

Development and evaluation of iManage: A self-management app co-designed by adolescents with sickle cell disease.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with sickle cell disease (SCD) are a vulnerable population with high risk of morbidity that could be decreased with effective self-management. Previous research suggests that mobile applications (apps) may facilitate AYA engagement in health-promoting behaviors. The objectives of this study were: (i) describe Internet access and use in AYA with SCD; (ii) identify barriers for self-management in this population; (iii) collaborate with AYA to co-design a mobile app that would minimize barriers; and (iv) evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the app. PROCEDURE: In phase 1, 46 AYAs with SCD 16-24 years of age completed a survey of Internet access and use. During phase 2, 19 AYAs with SCD (average age 20 ± 2.5 years) and eight healthcare providers participated in interviews to identify barriers and co-design sessions to develop the app. In phase 3, five AYAs with SCD completed app feasibility and usability testing. RESULTS: AYAs with SCD had daily Internet access (69%) using their computers (84%) or mobile phones (70%). Participants went online for health information (71%) and preferred Web sites with interactive/social features (83%). Barriers to self-management included failing to believe that their health would suffer, lack of tailored self-management support, lack of a mechanism to visualize self-management progress, and limited opportunities for peer interaction around self-management. The prototype app (iManage) was rated as highly feasible and beneficial. CONCLUSIONS: A mobile app prototype co-designed by AYAs with SCD may be a useful tool for engaging them in self-management strategies designed to improve health.

The live well collaborative: a new model for universities and companies to work together to meet the needs of 50+ consumers.

A new opportunity has emerged for universities and corporations to align in response to the global trend of countries with significant percentages of their population over the age of 50. This trend is driven by the dramatic increase in the birth rate starting in 1945 after World War II and ending in 1965 (a population commonly referred to in the United States as "baby boomers"). As they reach retirement, this age cohort has a unique expectation of a continued high quality of life in spite of the emerging health challenges they face. The boomer's lifestyle expectation has tremendous impact on the design of new products and services in every sector of the economy. To achieve effective translational research (from laboratory to marketable products), universities and companies must integrate the qualitative innovation processes used by design fields like industrial design into the quantitative research techniques embraced by medicine and engineering. The University of Cincinnati is one of the few universities in the United States with all the necessary components in place to respond to this opportunity. P&G with global headquarters in Cincinnati is the right corporate partner to define this new university-corporate relationship.