From emergency department to acute medical unit

Abstract

In the medical world the focus is shifting from a clinical perspective towards a user experience perspective. The Leids University Medical Centre has the vision to put the patient central. Therefore in this project the patient experience was optimized by design within the current Integral Patient Logistics Project at the Acute Medical Unit at the LUMC. A patient experience journey was created to show the patient experience. This showed that the patient can feel helpless, when she is not provided with information about her treatment. This finding was supported by literature. A service blueprint was generated to show the current system for the provision of information about the patient’s treatment. This showed that currently it is dependent on the care provider if information is provided and when it is provided this is done verbally. Also the planning for procedures is not communicated and a lot of procedures are invisible for the patient. As a consequence the patient feels insecure about her treatment. Now with the Careline the patient will feel reassured about her treatment, since the application will show the path of care. It shows the previous, current and next touchpoint step in the patient’s treatment. It not only shows these steps, it also shows what she is waiting for by indicating what happens backstage in the hospital. Thereby it shows that a blood test is analysed and that the doctor has evaluated the results. Besides, the Careline shows time periods when a touchpoint will take place and it enables the patient to get substantial medical information. So with the Careline the patient will know what her treatment looks like.