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www.curve.com.au | issue thirty-four | 2011

Design for health putting people first

Luke Williams on disruptive thinking

Restoring an icon the Volley returns

ISSN 1446-4829

feature

People first In the complex world of design for health, Philips Healthcare is well recognised for their groundbreaking, people-focused healthcare solutions.

Curve editor, Belinda Stening, spoke to two experts at Philips Healthcare – Sean Hughes, Chief Design Officer, and Eric Silfen MD, Chief Medical Officer – to find out how design and a people-centric approach is key to addressing some of the world’s health problems, now and into the future.

issue thirty-four 29 Curve

Sean Hughes

Healthcare systems around the world are struggling

Dr Silfen has a background in both the medical field

to cope with the demands of our ageing population.

and technological research – a very valuable com-

In developed countries, unhealthy and sedentary

bination – and he is an exponent in bridging the appli-

lifestyles are increasing the occurrence of insidious

cation of technology and innovation with the medical

illnesses like obesity, heart disease and diabetes, while

world, in such a way that it is humane and meaning-

healthcare systems in developing nations are failing to

ful, to help to establish a ‘medical consciousness’ for

reach people living in poverty or even those affected

Philips. Silfen says, “The landscape is changing in a

by natural disasters. With such an overwhelming de-

multi-directional way. This is not just due to increasing

mand for adequate healthcare, how can design play

numbers of elderly patients. I refer to it as the longer

a more strategic role in ensuring we live healthier lives

lifespan of people. It’s not just a question of taking

and receive the healthcare we need?

care of people who are older. It’s about understanding

“The healthcare industry is in crisis and is facing paradigm change,” says Hughes, who is based in Andover, near

what it means to take care of all people, starting at whatever age, as we live longer.”

Boston. “However, there are plenty of opportunities for

Significant transformations are occurring in the health-

innovation within this crisis.

care system as a result, making it essential to find the

“Over the last two decades, Philips Design has developed a people-focused innovation approach that has generated tangible proof-points of the Philips Healthcare differentiator of ‘People-focused,

resources to support new technical innovations that are improving the standard of personal health and well-being, as well as competencies of the healthcare workforce.

Healthcare simplified’ across the home and hospital

“Medical care should be delivered to people in the

healthcare domain,” he says.

way they want it,” rather than in the way the medical

Hughes explains that the role of the designer at Philips Healthcare is changing from creator to the role of facilitator. “Our designers are looking at experience design, mapping the experience of people in multidimensions. This requires a holistic design approach that’s research-based and involves multidisciplinary

industry thinks they should have it, explains Silfen – who has a very strong relationship with design at Philips.

“The way people want medical care depends upon their personal feelings and beliefs, and that can only be addressed if you have a strong design organisation working with you.

design teams, including designers, psychologists,

“Technology may be one thing,” he continues,

researchers and cultural anthropologists to better

“but knowing who the doctor is, how medical care

understand both the functional and emotional needs

is delivered and presented, all of that is about design.

of, in the case of healthcare, patients, families and

We can’t be effective as a company without this very

clinical staff.

strong bond between medical thinking, innovative

“Our unique approach is driven by qualitative research, applies design thinking to identify innovation above touch screen user interface and nurses’ station within the Ambient Experience hospital environment

opportunities, and leverages design skills to propose

previous page patient and carer in a Philips Ambient Experience catheterisation lab, and concept sketch showing Ambient Experience hospital entry area

advancement and design’s ability to make sure it is people focused. It’s about what people want, not what we tell them they need.”

solutions with measurable end-user value. It has proven

When Philips designs, they look at – what they call –

relevance in business processes, ranging from strategy

the entire cycle of care, or care cycle, which consists

to product development, and has successfully sup-

of five phases – prevention, screening, diagnosis,

ported both short and longer-term innovation for us.”

treatment and surveillance – and the people that are

From a company perspective, it’s not only Philips that

involved.

benefits from its design expertise. “We also work with

Hughes explains, “What we see happening in this

external healthcare organisations and companies.

cycle of care is that the impact of digitisation is grow-

By engaging with them, using our design capabilities,

ing. Patient records, payment systems, image data-

we create a win-win situation for both Philips and the

bases – all this will continue to be integrated, move

external party. They benefit from the knowledge we

online and move with the patient. Clinicians will look

have built up from decades of designing, we benefit

for information to make a diagnosis and expect to

from the valuable insights we gain by working closely

have it at their fingertips via clinical decision support

with the people in their healthcare environments,”

software tools, delivered on increasingly smart mobile

says Hughes.

platforms. In order for them to collect and interpret this information in an efficient and easy way, we – as designers – add value by creating intuitive user interfaces that help them to manage their workflow effectively and streamline complex data flows smoothly.”

30 Curve issue thirty-four

Experience design in healthcare

in the hospital waiting room. The Kitten Scanner is a

Being in a hospital can be a particularly stressful and

scaled version of the CT scan and includes a televi-

daunting experience for children and adults. Hughes explains how in 2004 a people-focused solution to a design challenge was the beginning of bigger projects

animation on the television screen that tells the story of that particular character and mimics the results of

“As designers we believed that the experience for a

a mood theme or ambient environment by waving

patient in a medical imaging department in a hospital

a radio frequency card over a cord that triggered

could be much better,” says Hughes. “So in 2004,

special lighting and animated visuals onto walls

we proposed to the Advocate Lutheran General

and ceilings.

this through design and a creative approach.” They immersed themselves in this problem, mapping the

above concept sketch series for Ambient Experience, and Ambient Experience in imaging suites

places one of the toys in the scanner it activates an

in experience design for Philips Healthcare.

Children’s Hospital in Chicago that we could improve

Eric Silfen

sion screen and toys with an RFID tag. When a child

experience of the delivery of Computed Tomography

a scan. In the examination room the child can choose

This was the first Ambient Experience, as Philips has since named it. From there they designed Ambient Experience environments for other imaging suites such

imaging (CT) in the radiology department.

as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suites and

“We wanted to make it less intimidating for patients

just focus on the patient experience, but also on the

to be scanned in a radiology ward,” continues Hughes.

staff experience. Clinical staff are always present in

For this first installation they created a total experience

the lab because it concerns interventional procedures,

for the patient by extending the product experience

therefore we wanted to make it easier for them to

to a more soothing environmental experience. “It

achieve their tasks,” he adds.

catheterisation laboratories. “In cath labs we didn’t

made children feel at ease. Before the examination started a child could play with the Kitten Scanner

issue thirty-four 31 Curve

this page Ambient Experience images and concept sketches for the Florida Hospital for Children, showing entrance, nurses’ station, a treatment room and the waiting area

A similar, and more recent, installation to the Ambient Experience at the Florida Hospital for Children has broken new ground as it covers the whole of the hospital’s dedicated children’s emergency department, extending far beyond a single examination or procedure area.

“With the Florida Hospital for Children, the main challenge was to apply this experience in a space where there was no Philips imaging equipment involved,” says Hughes. “So we designed the entire experience flow, and not just the environment within an examination room. We had to take many aspects into consideration, like the state of mind patients and their families are in when they enter the department, who they meet, where and for how long they have to wait and how to balance relaxation with positive distraction. So we had to put together a coherent set of solutions for each situation.”

Here, the Ambient Experience extends from the emergency department entrance to the waiting areas, the triage area, nurses’ station and the emergency treatment rooms. The focus of the experience is to create an overall sense of calm in the more public areas.

The corridor that leads to the emergency department features a ‘glow wall’ of frosted glass panels backed with LEDs that slowly change colour. A wall outside the triage area is covered by a LED display with a translucent honeycomb structure in front of it. This produces abstract images in many colours and shapes, and has a calming effect like a flickering fire. The main waiting area features an interactive illuminated wall where children can ‘paint with light’ by touching it.

The child is admitted to an emergency room that is equipped with a proscribe tablet to allow the selection of an animated theme for projection onto a wall, and children can listen to audio provided or can plug in their own music. Philips is now rolling out Ambient Experience programs in over 200 hospitals worldwide.

32 Curve issue thirty-four

the Lifeline AutoAlert detects a fall and alerts for emergency assistance so help can arrive promptly left Philips Lifeline with AutoAlert function featuring pendant-style help button

Home-based healthcare

“In the future,” he continues, “I think we will make

The delivery of healthcare at home is helping to

the move into the realm where healthcare is as much

relieve pressure on hospital systems worldwide. For the elderly, in particular, home-based care systems promote independence and increased self-esteem.

Hughes says, “Delivering healthcare outside the clinical environment represents a big challenge. In mature healthcare markets, such as North America, healthcare systems can’t cope, and healthcare authorities have been looking for ways to efficiently treat more people.

about prevention as it is about intervention, and providing people with the healthy choices in all aspects of their lives will become increasingly important.” Lifeline AutoAlert received an iF product design award for 2011.

Philips’ innovative Design Probes program is a dedicated ‘far-future’ research initiative to track trends and developments that may ultimately evolve into mainstream issues that have a significant impact on

One way is to treat people outside of the hospital.”

business. Exploring the future, and how people will

Philips Lifeline with AutoAlert function is an enhanced

to their aim of achieving people-focused design

medical alert device and service. Designed as a non-

solutions. By imagining extreme versions of far-future

stigmatising, reliable solution for elderly people based

scenarios, the Design Probes team attempts to under-

at home, Philips says it offers foolproof fall detection,

stand more about the issues that affect people today

and offers home-based and elderly people a solution

and tomorrow.

to maintaining independence.

interact with each other and themselves, is integral

A recent Probe project called Self Health is a concept

Falls are a leading cause of injury in the elderly

that takes a provocative look at health issues and

community and often admission to hospital is required.

could have a profound effect on the way we under-

The Lifeline features a pendant-style help button that

stand and monitor our own health and make lifestyle

can automatically call for help if a fall is detected.

choices twenty years from now. Self Health investi-

The pendant is designed to be low maintenance –

gates a shift in emphasis from curative to preventative

water-tight and easy to clean. According to a Philips

medicine – the differences in cultural perception of

laboratory study of simulated falls, Lifeline with AutoAlert

health and the possibilities of self-diagnosis.

detected ninety-five per cent of falls, with a very low rate of false alarms.

The Probe research uncovered how people may be

Philips sees home-based care as the way of the

physical isolation from each other (in some cultures)

future for everyone, regardless of age. “Healthcare

and poor lifestyle choices. People need to take more

delivery will continue to expand away from the clinical

responsibility and interest in their health and well-being

environment as individuals will be forced to take more

to prevent illness. This prompted further exploration

responsibility for their own care,” says Hughes.

into issues such as the rise in eating disorders, addiction

suffering from ‘touch hunger’, resulting from our growing

to plastic surgery in some societies and the therapeutic effect of physical contact.

issue thirty-four 33 Curve

Philanthropy by design

The Chulha project extends beyond the design of

The Philips Philanthropy by Design program provides

a healthier, safer and more efficient way of cooking.

meaningful and socially responsible solutions to problems faced by communities with limited healthcare resources. “Our continuing challenge,” says Hughes, “is to ensure we fully understand people in the broadest healthcare context. You can imagine designing a solution for an intensive-care unit in a leading university hospital in the US has a completely different need

acceptance in rural communities. Local NGOs are able to use the intellectual property and design and mould stoves for free. A complete support package has been created that includes not just the details of the stove’s physical design, but also marketing information for local entrepreneurs, communication materials for

The World Health Organization estimates close to

of the Chulha has been introduced in Kenya.

fumes from indoor cooking using biomass fuels, such as wood, dung and peat. The Chulha smokeless stove designed for rural India by Philips is developed to solve this problem and save lives. It has won many design

NGOs and installation instructions. A customised version

A more recent philanthropic project, the Breath Counter, is a ‘breath timing’ device to assist care-givers in rural and remote areas to diagnose pneumonia in young children. The device is solar powered and can be used

awards, including a recent INDEX award.

by anyone – regardless of literacy skills.

Over the course of a five-month period, a three-person

“We are driven by clinical excellence,” says Silfen.

design team from Philips Design in Pune in India turned the initial design idea into two field-tested prototypes.

This was a collaborative effort involving local NGOs, entrepreneurs and a few families in cooperation with

above the Chulha smokeless stove installed, and exploded view

an unconventional model to give it widespread

than developing a solution appropriate for rural India.”

1.6 million deaths a year occur from inhalation of toxic

the Breath Counter breath timing device in use in rural India

The philanthropic business model for the Chulha uses

“We are people focused and based upon the needs of patients, care-givers, clinicians and others involved in the world of medical practice – everything we do is driven by a medical understanding. And only then

the Appropriate Rural Technology Institute, an NGO

do we bring forward our technology and innovation.”

that develops and promotes innovative technologies

People are the central focus of design for Philips.

to improve the quality of life in rural India.

Whether a conservative and controlled clinical environment or a remote rural village – design needs to be totally informed with rigorous research – putting people first. This is a core value that we can all bring to design.

34 Curve issue thirty-four