Challenges, Tensions, and Opportunities in Designing Ecosystems to Support the Management of Complex Health Needs

Abstract

The intertwined and sometimes contradictory work of managing complex health needs (e.g., discordant, enigmatic, and/or rare conditions) creates many challenges for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. While researchers have created interventions such as technologies and services to address particular health needs, interventions must be designed to better account for gaps in technologies and interdependencies across health needs. In this workshop we will adopt an ecosystems perspective to better understand the nature of complex needs and how to support the management of those needs through holistic and multi-faceted support. Using a hands-on design sprint technique, participants will (1) map out different complex care ecosystems, (2) generate ideas for technologies, services, and other multi-faceted interventions to address gaps in those ecosystems, and (3) choose the most promising ideas to further develop and refine. We will close by reflecting together on what we have created, our approaches to design, and the theories and concepts that shaped our approaches. Through this process, we will collectively generate an agenda for research and design to better support the management of complex health needs.