SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Applying Design-Thinking Methodologies to Enhance Caregiver-Patient-Hospitalist Relationships and Experience

Pdf Summary

Northwell Health, New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, is committed to high-quality clinical care, medical education, research, health education, and caring for all patients regardless of ability to pay. <br /><br />The document describes a project from Northwell Health that used design thinking to improve caregiver-patient-hospitalist relationships and the overall hospitalized patient experience, especially during transitions of care. Using the early stages of the design thinking process—Empathize and Define—the team sought to better understand the needs, emotions, behaviors, and values of caregivers, patients, and hospitalists.<br /><br />The project was motivated by growing concern about caregiver burden, which became even more urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than focusing only on finding a solution, the team first looked broadly at unmet human needs and gaps in communication and care.<br /><br />Their human-centered approach included:<br />- observing caregiver interactions with care teams,<br />- reviewing grievance letters from caregivers,<br />- interviewing hospitalists, and<br />- mapping the patient journey from emergency room admission through discharge.<br /><br />The goal was to generate insights that could support more effective collaboration and improve the total experience of hospitalization. The summary insight from the project emphasizes the importance of the three-way relationship among caregivers, patients, and hospitalists, and how aligning their needs can help optimize patient care.

Asset Subtitle

Vasavi R. Devireddy

Meta Tag

Author List Fatima Malik, Jeffrey Solomon, Katherine L. Dauber-Decker, Vasavi R. Devireddy

Category Innovations

Concept Design Thinking

Concept Hospitalized Patient Experience

Concept Caregiver-Patient-Hospitalist Relationship

Concept Empathy

Concept Unmet Needs

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization Northwell Health / Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Presenting Author Vasavi R. Devireddy

Track Other

Keywords

Northwell Health

design thinking

caregiver burden

patient experience

hospitalist relationships

transitions of care

COVID-19 pandemic

human-centered design

caregiver-patient collaboration

hospitalization journey

Design Thinking

Hospitalized Patient Experience

Caregiver-Patient-Hospitalist Relationship

Empathy

Unmet Needs