Developing a Digital Application for Patient Medical History

Abstract

The value of a patient-centered care (PCC) approach should be considered in the context of the Portuguese healthcare system, particularly because several structures are being used but not properly interlinked, to the detriment of the patient. The patient should be considered the most important element in the healthcare system, among other reasons because of the impact on the patient's treatment efficiency. This paper aims to encourage PCC by exploring ways to facilitate the exchange of medical records. A Research through Design (RtD) approach helped us define a possible strategy to a wicked problem—the patient’s access to medical records in Portuguese healthcare facilities. The development phases of this project are divided into: 1) literature review; 2) research; 3) exploration; 4) design; and 5) evaluation. This paper presents the development of a mobile application—Olhar Clínico [Clinical Viewpoint]—for sharing patient medical history and discusses its implications for the healthcare context. Results of an evaluation with end users show that the solution brings value to the patient and can potentially soften the distinction between the public and private practice, promoting a cohesive healthcare system.