The research project Partchild focuses on the diagnosis of chronic health problems and impairments among children, using a directory of codes to specify symptoms. Our task was to develop an application for creating medical protocols and uniting it with the code directory in one online tool. Special attention was given to usability and the protection of patient data.
Enabling Participation
The Part Child Project
The research project Partchild, implemented at a number of Social-Pediatric Centers in Germany, aims at improving therapy for children with chronic diseases and disabilities. To do so, the patients’ individual capacities and situations are taken into account and their families are strongly involved. The standard diagnosis coding catalog ICF-CY is used, assigning five-digit numbers to every symptom to make communication among medical experts easier.
For the treating therapist, working with this extensive catalog ususally means handling a seperate database while writing reports during sessions. To avoid this time-consuming procedure, we were commissioned to develop an online-tool offering report templates directly linked to the coding catalog, to enable an uninterrupted workflow.
The ICF-Praxis WebApp was developed and tested in collaboration with a research network including SPZ Frankfurt Mitte, Kontexte Frankfurt gGmbH, Mannheimer Institut für Public Health, Sozial- und Präventivmedizin (MIPH) – Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Medizinische Biometrie, Epidemiologie und Informatik (IMBEI) – Universitätsmedizin Mainz and Forum CMG e.V.
More Time for Patients
when protocols become a side issue
Our concept is tailored to the professional routine of therapists. It is designed to make documentation intuitive, easy and fast so that full attention can lie on the patient. With a clearly structured interface and focus on the most important features, the ICF-Praxis WebApp is straighforward and accessible to the all potential users. It requires no special hard- or software and can be used in any browser after creating a personal account.
Two templates are provided, designed to meet different session formats:
- The report template offers a simple continuous text for standard one-on-one sessions.
- The round table template is designed for a session with multiple participants, for example parents, teachers or caregivers. It is made up of different sections wich are interlinked and interdependent, automatically adopting changes to all related contents.
General information on the session, like date, place and basic patient data can be added in a seperate side menu. This helps to structure the protocols and keep track of the therapeutic process.
As soon as the user types the hashtag character (#), the code catalog opens in a seperate window. As the searched term is entered into an input field, suggestions from the database are made and narrowed down with every letter. This logic is derived from the systematics of code completion used in programming to speed up work processes.
If the code is already known, a search window allows quick access to the database.
As soon as the user types the hashtag character (#), the code catalog opens in a seperate window. As the searched term is entered into an input field, suggestions from the database are made and narrowed down with every letter. This logic is derived from the systematics of code completion used in programming to speed up work processes.
If the code is already known, a search window allows quick access to the database.
Data Safety
local storage only
Patient data is a very sentitive matter and needs to be treated with the highest care. On the other hand, web-based applications are future proof, easy to maintain and suited for collaborative work. We developed a seamless connection of online and offline elements, to combine the advantages of both.
Protocols created in the ICF-Praxis WebApp can be exported as Word- or PDF-files or sent directly to a local printer. The contents are translated into a clear layout following a predefined style sheet.
The work status can also be saved locally as an .icf-file. This format can only be reopened and edited using the ICF-Praxis WebApp and therefore needs no special encription.
Curious about our approach? Feel free to get in touch!
Mathias Wollin Partner +49 69 24 000 326 mathias.wollin@meso.design mathias.wollin@meso.design +49 69 24 000 326
MESO Digital Services GmbH
Gutleutstr. 96 . 60329 Frankfurt . Germany
Team
Alessia Corsini, Tim Hau, Susanne Heinlein, Joakim Repomaa, Laura Schillke, Marvin Shah, Alec Woodward Mitchel, Olga Zimmermann