Patients staying in the oncology department have to deal with fears and worries about their treatment, diagnosis and the effects it brings on their life and those around them. These fears and worries remain often hidden, due to patients needing time to open up about them and heal
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Patients staying in the oncology department have to deal with fears and worries about their treatment, diagnosis and the effects it brings on their life and those around them. These fears and worries remain often hidden, due to patients needing time to open up about them and healthcare providers not immediately noticing these. They take these fears and worries with them when leaving the hospital, creating a negative discharge experience that provides a lot of stress in a setting where they can familiarize themselves again. The current discharge takes a clinical approach that favors time efficiency with a focus on the direct patient’s needs while missing out on discussing hidden fears and worries of the patients, and no new knowledge is provided on how to effectively do this. This asks for new approaches and tools that can make these hidden fears and worries noticed by healthcare providers, being able to talk about them and prepare the patients and their close loved ones to leave the hospital with a confident feeling of being able to take care of themselves and provide the care necessary. This project aims at finding such new approaches and providing tools that can help turn the discharge experience more positive. A mixed method approach is used where in four phases the context of the oncology department is explored, analysed and designed for. This is supported by an empathy framework, discharge journey map and other models in order to provide a human soft touch to the discharge process. A good understanding of the current discharge process is formed and insights are gathered that influence the discharge experience. Concepts are created that incorporate the insights to evaluate the effects on the discharge process. The hidden fears and worries of patients and their close loved ones are the care not being of the same quality outside the hospital as within, their home turning into a second care home and them not being able to take care or provide the care. Healthcare providers hold on to their existing working methods due to their attitude of it working for some time without any form of self-reflective feedback. Six factors have an influence on the discharge experience that determine how everyone involved interacts with each other, of which confidence and expectations can be improved. A concept goal and direction are formulated that focus on the two factors and additionally raise awareness, allow everyone to share their fears and worries and give confidence to be able to take or provide care. This has given two concepts which in a total of six tests have been evaluated on their influence and changes to the discharge process. A final concept proposal is given with an implementation plan for future design that expands on the first steps created in this project.