Design Challenge: Decision Aid Upgrade

The necessity of communications between health providers and developers has evolved since the explosion of uses for H.I.T. New tools are evolving to manage patient and physician cooperation in management of their disease, alternative treatments and ongoing care. The driving force in studies of American cancer patients, most prefer learning detailed information about their disease and prognosis in a direct and honest manner. Studies also show patients from different cultural backgrounds differ in their need for a prognosis and how they would like to receive it. Despite the vital importance of prognostic information for decision making, many patients today have very little understanding of their prognosis, treatment options, or sources of support. In fact a 2014 study found that only 16% of patients with metastatic cancers had an accurate awareness of their prognosis. Decision aids address this information gap by providing a framework to help patients understand their disease trajectory and consider what is important to them when deciding among different treatment options. Providing treatment and supportive care options, expected outcomes, possible side effects, and success rates empowers patients to align their choices with their values and goals. Decision Aids offers a format for physicians and patients to collaborate on diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Decision aids address this information gap by providing a framework to help patients understand their disease trajectory and consider what is important to them when deciding among different treatment options. Providing treatment and supportive care options, expected outcomes, possible side effects, and success rates empowers patients to align their choices with their values and goals. However, in the context of advanced lung cancer, decision aids inadequately demonstrate the limitations of multiple rounds of chemotherapy and overlook the benefits of palliative care and other supportive services. Also, current decision aids often lack opportunities for patient engagement and are mostly used by providers in a didactic or instructive fashion. To find better ways to express data and statistics about survivability and sources of support, CHCF partnered with Mad*Pow (a user-centered design studio) and Health 2.0 (a catalyst for the advancement of new health technologies) to present a unique challenge. Designers with skills in user experience, human-centered design, and rapid prototyping are asked to take a set of clinical information and create an experience that promotes shared decision making between patients and physicians. Read more: http://www.chcf.org/rfps/2015/decision-aid-upgrade#ixzz3X3pyxa1w To find better ways to express data and statistics about survivability and sources of support, CHCF partnered with Mad*Pow (a user-centered design studio) and Health 2.0 (a catalyst for the advancement of new health technologies) to present a unique challenge. Designers with skills in user experience, human-centered design, and rapid prototyping are asked to take a set of clinical information and create an experience that promotes shared decisionmaking between patients and physicians. Entries are due by Friday, May 29. More information is available, including challenge submission requirements and evaluation criteria, at the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge website >http://www.health2con.com/devchallenge/chcf-decision-aids-upgrade-challenge/