The Industrial Designers Society of America handed out its annual IDEA product design awards this week, and one of the projects that was recognized came from an unlikely place: Seattle Children’s Hospital.
The prototype patient information system created for the hospital by Seattle-based technology product design firm Artefact is designed to work on iPad, mobile devices and traditional computers. And it’s about as far removed as possible from the applications most of us see when we visit a doctor today. See more images here.
Here’s how Artefact describes the project …
- Patient Stories in Seconds. Clinicians need to understand the story of a patient, but previously they had to be detectives to piece it together. Lab results were separate from medication orders – even for the same patient. This solution brings patient data together to describe the whole person using the power of interactive infographics. This view of the past, present, and future for every patient helps doctors decide whom to treat first.
- Augmented Human Communication. Despite the vast improvements in care brought about by technology, many critical decisions hinge on personal communication. The prototype doesn’t try to replace human connections with technology – it augments them. For example, all the staff working with each patient is clearly identified, allowing them to share information on the go.
- Adaptable to Form and Function. The system is tailored to diverse user roles, levels of authority, and contexts from vice presidents to nurses. For example, doctors can use tablets at the patient’s bedside when they need information to make a decision regarding the patient’s care, while unit coordinators use their desktop PCs to see status and plan for patients that come and go.
Other local IDEA winners included Microsoft (for products including Windows Phone 7) and Boeing (for the 787 Dreamliner).
