Seminar Patient-centered Digital Health

Learn more about innovative technologies that are revolutionising patient experiences and what to consider when designing them. Discuss the latest trends and challenges in patient-centred digital health with leading experts. Experts from health, technology and design will approach the topic of patient centered digital health from different perspectives and present current research projects and results. There will also be the opportunity to network with other researchers.

The target group of this seminar are researchers from various disciplines and anyone interested in the topic of patient centered digital health.

Details Block 1: AGE

My new digital life as a patient. 

Beat Eichenberger, member of the patient lobby of Inselspital Bern.

A patient’s perspective on today’s communication channels within the health care system. Individual experiences that stand as an example for many patients’ problems and frustrations navigating their way through new mediums. Obstacles and pitfalls especially for the unexperienced user.  

Introducing GRACE – A voice assistant providing cognitive interventions to older adults

Dr. Rasita Vinay, Institute of Biomedical Ethics, University of Zurich.

GRACE is an AI-based voice assistant, that leverages elements of cognitive stimulation therapy to provide cognitive interventions to its users. While GRACE is designed for use by people with early dementia, we will share results of a pilot study conducted on healthy older adults, and their interaction with GRACE.

Digital lifestyle intervention for community-dwelling older adults.

Dr. Renato Mattli, Berner Fachhochschule Gesundheit.

This presentation will give you insights into the user-centered development process of the app and explain key aspects of the design and content. Finally, results of the pilot study investigating usability and potential efficacy will be presented. 

Ageing in a digitally connected world: how can design facilitate the transition?

Dr. Emilene Zitkus, School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, Great Britain.

This session will present some lived experiences of older adults using digital technologies and how the transition to digital can impact the lives of those whose skills fall below the Essential Digital Skills for Life proposed by the gov.uk. It considers some of the challenges and opportunities for design practice and the importance of designing with older adults in mind.

Details Block 2: COMMUNICATION

Talking Pictures: How visuals are enhancing patient communication in healthcare.

Loraine Olalia, Institute of Design Research, Bern Academy of the Arts (HKB).

Language barriers are the most common obstacles to emergency care for migrant children and young people, seriously impacting on patient safety. A picture-based digital communication tool was developed by an interdisciplinary team to help overcome language-barriers between healthcare professionals and patients.  

Hybrid telemedicine services are transforming healthcare – why is effective communication important?

Sascha Beck, alcare AG, Wil.

Effective communication is vital in hybrid telemedicine models, as it integrates both virtual and in-person care. Clear and standardized exchanges between patients and providers ensure seamless transitions between settings, accurate information sharing, and coordinated treatment plans, enhancing patient outcomes, security and optimizing the hybrid model's efficiency.

Gravitate-Health – example of patient centered care support.

Prof. Anne Moen, University of Oslo, Norway.

Gravitate-Health’s mission is to empower and equip Europeans with health information for active, personal health management and adherence to treatment. We develop digital solutions for personal health management; improve understanding and stimulate adherence activities to “do my part” for full benefits of available prevention, care and treatment, and maintaining personal safety, quality of life and overall wellbeing. Gravitate-Health is a project that illustrate solutions to an obvious paradox for patient centered care; patients and citizens really lack tools and services designed for them and their use, to fully leverage opportunities in use of health data, actively contribute to personal health and wellness, and specifically in activities of daily living for best possible care and treatment outcomes.   

Sorry, what did you say? – It wasn't me, it was the translation app.

Dr. Andrea Hunziker Heeb, Institute of Translation and Interpreting, Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW, Winterthur.

Could speech-to-speech translation apps help overcome language barriers in (home) care? In an innovative interdisciplinary pilot study at ZHAW, we observed and interviewed senior citizens and trained care givers who reenacted typical assistance scenarios with and without a translation app. The results show some differences between the two participant groups.

Details Block 3: TOOLS

Navigating privacy in health data sharing: Legal, technological challenges and granular access for adolescents and vulnerable populations.

Carolyn Petersen, Mayo Clinic, USA.

Carolyn Petersen, MS, MBI, FAMIA, will describe the privacy-related legal and technological challenges associated with the sharing of sensitive health data using adolescents’ access to their health record as a case study and summarize efforts around data segmentation for privacy. She will present current work to enable granular access to personal health records by adolescents, older adults, and other populations that would benefit from the opportunity to manage the visibility and sharing of personal health data.  

Impatient rehabilitation – the perfect place for co-creation of digital health interventions?

Valerie Frischknecht, Center for Rehabilitation, Bern.

Co-creation is essential for developing digital health solutions, yet limited patient access and patient identification remain barriers. We are tackling this by creating a living lab within an inpatient rehabilitation center – transforming challenges into opportunities for innovation.  

Digital health for all – Interdisciplinarity & user-centered design as major approaches to developing digital health applications.

Prof. Jakob Doppler, University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, Austria.

In an ideal healthcare system the patient is a well-informed & self-empowered participant at the center of their own health and wellbeing. Yet, reality shows that not only due to the complex nature of patient pathways, health economic hurdles and regulatory issues this vision cannot keep pace. A digital perspective might help, but first will need a thoroughly assessment of the needs of both: patients, and their closest healthcare companions. This talk aims at highlighting principles like interdisciplinary work & user-centered design to develop digital health applications for all.  

Simulation based testing of digital health tools.

Rahel Inauen and David Wollschleger, Swiss Center for Design and Health SCDH, Nidau.

Digital tools in healthcare need to meet a wide range of requirements from different user groups and be integrated into complex existing systems. How can these requirements be met and how can technological, human, and spatial aspects be taken into account in the design of tools? The talk will give an insight into the development and implementation of the method of “simulation-based testing” of digital health tools in context. 

Further Information:

• Institute for Patient-centered Digital Health
• Institute on Ageing
• Institute of Design Research, Bern University of the Arts HKB