HealthMe
HealthMe is a smartphone application, which helps patients to request
prescriptions online. A concept supporting long-term patients,
who lack time in everday life.
HealthMe is a smartphone application, which helps patients to request
prescriptions online. A concept supporting long-term patients,
who lack time in everday life.
Through personal experiences and circle of friends and relatives, we noticed that there are some inefficient processes in the German health care system, regarding patients with permanent illnesses. Especially in times of digitalization, some processes are experienced as more complex, than they should be. Also, the fact that one has to go to the doctor's office because of a new prescription, means a lot of work for the patient as well as for the doctor's office, which can be avoided. We have been thinking about how to simplify the process of getting a prescription in order to help long-term patients, who have little time in their daily lives, can do this quickly and easily.
Patients usually forget to get a new prescription in time for a medication they have to take every day and on which their health depends. The conventional way of getting a prescription can take a long time.
Interviews - Over the course of our research, patients, doctors and pharmacists are interviewed about illnesses, processes, medication interactions and digitalization in the medical sector. Their opinion about our concept has a big impact on our project. In our interviews we tried to understand the current system in order to draw conclusions for our project.
Value Proposition Canvas The 6 Thinking Hats Method is a group discussion - a kind of role play. The participants play different roles, which are symbolized by different colored hats. Each hat corresponds to a certain characteristic way of thinking or a point of view, which is supposed to facilitate an efficient discussion. We used the "6 Thinking Hats Method" to generate the Pains and Gains of our main stakeholders.
↝ Insights from doctors, patients and pharmacists
After generating the Pains and Gains of all main steakholders, it is time to find solutions for the existing problems. This is achieved by partly automating the communication between doctors and patients, thus making the process easier and more intuitive for all parties.
Registration - We decided to make our system usable for registered as well as unregistered users. In order to use the system, the users have to sign in, which is why most of them uninstall applications after recongnizing the latter. There is no interaction with a treating doctor possible without a registration. Nevertheless, the user should be able to use some important functions of the app without a registration. For instance, to be protected from medication interactions.
The registered user can use all features of the application: connect to doctors, request digital prescriptions and receive and share documents with other doctors.
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Home - The Homescreen displays the main features of the application. The last message the user receives after signing in is highlighted. In this example, the patient has already talked to a doctor about the application and asked the doctor for a verification code in order to contact the medical practitioner for online-appointments or online-prescriptions. The patient can add several specialists.
Messages - The patient receives a verification code by mail or e-mail in order to add the treating doctor. Other messages may include an ongoing prescription request or shortage of medication. It is important that the patient is always well informed and up to date.
Medication - Drugs can be added by the patient and monitored by connected doctors. In the detailed view of each medicine, the frequency of ingestion can be defined, so the patient can be reminded when a medicine is running out. The patient will be warned and educated, if there is a medication interaction between the added drugs.
Add Medicine - The user can add new drugs either by manual input or by scanning the barcode on the pharmaceutical package. The next step is to define the frequency of ingestion and set an alarm clock in order to remind the user to take their medicine. If there is a medication interaction with another drug, the patient is informed immediately.
My Doctors - The patient can add a treating doctor. The user receives a code to connect with an doctor and all them are listed in the „My Doctors“ view. In the detailed view of each doctor, the opening hours of their opening hours and already requested prescriptions are displayed. In addition, the patient can contact the doctor by phone or make an appointment through the app. It is also possible to request a new prescription here.
Under My Documents" , the patient can collect documents such as X-ray and MRI images, medical reports and files, which the user previously received from the treating doctor. These documents can also be shared with other doctors in order to avoid unnecessary treatments, as an example when changing doctors.
Online Prescription - The patient receives the online-prescription via messages and the doctor can also leave a message for the patient. The user can easily have access to the prescription through the force touch function to buy the medicine or order it online. After using the prescription, it will be deleted immediately