Service Design as a Catalyst for Patient-Centered eHealth Innovation

Abstract

Today's healthcare industry is confronted with a myriad of challenges amidst emerging trends and opportunities which trigger a paradigm shift in healthcare design from stand-alone products to holistic services. These three dimensions are critical in assessing and managing healthcare, particularly in underserved settings. This study aims to maximize opportunities presented by both design and information and communication technologies to enhance the implementation of integrated people-centered health services. It is a qualitative study conducted across six government health facilities within Nairobi slums in Kenya as a case study of maternal health information services. Co-design-oriented service design research strategy is employed while a representative sample of (n=47) participants is drawn from different stakeholders in the public health sector. An architectural design framework for cloud-based patient-centered health information service is designed to support maternal care in underserved settings. A prototype service (AfyaTab app) is developed as a proof-of-concept of the proposed design solution.