This document discusses the concept of medical doctors as designers. It describes how the author works at the intersection of design, health, and technology. It provides examples of participatory design projects focused on redesigning medical devices like EpiPens based on input from patients. These projects aim to address problems through an approach of empathy, defining problems based on patient needs, ideating solutions collaboratively, prototyping, and iterative user testing. The author advocates for integrating design practices into healthcare work flows and designing with diverse communities rather than just for them.
Medical Doctor as Maker Designer: Participatory Design for Healthcare
1. Joyce Lee, MD, MPH
Doctor as Designer
Twitter: @joyclee
@healthbyus #vutechtalk
Medical Doctor as
Maker Designer
Participatory Design for
Healthcare
2. I have no ties to any
pharmaceutical companies
Social Media/Web Editor
of JAMA Pediatrics
3. Obesity & Type 2 Diabetes:
Biomarkers/Child Health Policy
Type 1 Diabetes:
Learning Health Systems
Mobile Technology/Data Visualization/
Participatory Design/Online Communities
4.
5. “Folk in black turtlenecks and
designer glasses working on small
things like the Apple Watch” -TB
This is a medical designer
6. “A pediatric endocrinologist who
spends her days seeing patients in
clinic and writing grants & papers that
no one will ever read?”
This is a medical designer?
No black turtleneck?
No designer glasses?
38. Greenberg, 2010
“A large number of health care
professionals including nurses,
p a r a m e d i c s , a n d p h y s i c i a n s
inadvertently self-inject while
attempting to administer the EpiPen
to patients…
“365 injections over 6 years in 1
poison ctr”
48. “patients frequently do not understand
how and when to use [the epi-pen].”
Sicherer, 2011
In medicine, we often
blame the patient
49. “patients frequently do not understand
how and when to use [the epi-pen].”
Sicherer, 2011
But is it a patient problem or
is it a design problem?
The needle
is opposite
to the cap,
which is
counter-
intuitive
50. Sicherer, 2011
In medicine, we often
blame the patient
“Children had only used their EpiPen device
in 29% of recurrent anaphylaxis reactions.
This is perhaps unsurprising because a fear
of needles/injections is common”
51. “Children had only used their EpiPen device
in 29% of recurrent anaphylaxis reactions.
This is perhaps unsurprising because a fear
of needles/injections is common”
Sicherer, 2011
But is it a patient problem or
is it a design problem?
Life or
death is
stressful!
Don’t make
me think!
52. “patients often forget [the device],
allow it to expire”
Sicherer, 2011
In medicine, we often
blame the patient
53. But is it a patient problem or
is it a design problem?
“patients often forget [the device],
allow it to expire”
Sicherer, 2011
It’s an
awkward
size, &
doesn’t fit
in your
pockets
62. Human-Centered
Design Thinking
”An approach that puts
human needs, capabilities,
and behavior first, then
designs to accommodate
those needs, capabilities,
and ways of behaving”
63. Participatory Design
”an approach to design
attempting to actively
involve all stakeholders in
the design process to help
ensure the result meets their
needs and is usable”
109. “it can also come off
as arrogant when a
d e s i g n e r f a i l s t o
respect the solutions
that already exist,
particularly those that
have evolved from
within a community.”
Check your ego at the door
110.
111.
112.
113.
114.
115.
116.
117.
118. HealthDesignBy.Us
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@joyclee
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