Participatory design methods in telemedicine research

Abstract

Healthcare systems require a paradigm shift in the way healthcare services are delivered to counteract demographic changes in patient populations, expanding technological developments and the increasing complexity of healthcare. Participatory design (PD) is a methodology that promotes the participation of users in the design process of potential telehealth applications. A PD project can be divided into four phases including: the identification and analysis of participant needs; the generation of ideas and development of prototypes; testing and further development of prototypes; and evaluation. PD is an iterative process where each phase is planned by reflecting on the results from the previous phase with respect to the participants' contribution. Key activities of a PD project include: fieldwork; literature reviewing; and development and testing. All activities must be applied with a participatory mindset that will ensure genuine participation throughout the project. Challenges associated with the use of PD include: the time required to properly engage with participants; language and culture barriers amongst participants; the selection of participants to ensure good representation of the user group; and empowerment. PD is an important process, which is complemented by other evaluation strategies that assess organisational requirements, clinical safety, and clinical and cost effectiveness. PD is a methodology which encourages genuine involvement, where participants have an opportunity to identify practical problems and to design and test technology. The process engages participants in storytelling, future planning and design. PD is a multifaceted assessment tool that helps explore more accurately clinical requirements and patient perspectives in telehealth.

Collaborating with Young Adults Diagnosed with Schizophrenia: A Participatory Design Study to Shape the Healthcare System

“…PD has roots in action research [23], and is preoccupied with finding and developing solutions to practical problems in close collaboration with service users [24] [25] [26] [27]. Therefore, PD supports the practice of making service users co-designers of services responsive to their needs.…”

Evaluation of a telehealth solution developed to improve follow‐up after kidney Transplantation

“…The study is part of a larger participatory design study, in three phases, to develop new ways to structure and improve the transplantation process (Clemensen, Rothmann, Smith, Caffery, & Danbjorg, 2017). In the first phase, patients' and HCPs' experiences were explored to identify needs in the transplantation process.…”

Healthcare in the pocket: A qualitative analysis of patients� perspectives of an mHealth application to foster power in everyday living with schizophrenia (Preprint)

“…MindFrame had been developed in close partnership with the intended user group [31] which has been suggested as a means to foster engagement in interventions [45,47] by aligning mHealth technologies more closely to user needs and preferences [48]. The lack of engagement over time fosters the notion that an mHealth app -even when designed with its intended user group -may not appeal to all patients.…”