BACKGROUND
Human-Centered Design (HCD) is an innovation or design process that emphasizes collective input from stakeholders. A growing body of literature examines the science of patient and community engagement in health research yet little qualitative research to date examines how community members recruited to collaborate on designing health practice variations and delivery of care perceive and experience such a process.
OBJECTIVE
Examine perceptions of a Human-Centered Design process as an engagement tool to inform delivery of care and practice innovation in women’s health screening.
METHODS
Primary qualitative data collected at a medical education center/network of clinics, and in the surrounding community. Qualitative study used opportunistic and purposive sampling recruiting participants from an earlier HCD process undertaken to redesign screening tools. Participants were purposively and sampled from among eligible participants who participated in the Human-Centered Design process to develop women’s health screening tools and who were community members and/or clinicians/clinical staff. All eligible participants who agreed to participate were interviewed using a semi-structured, open-ended guide. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, hand-coded, and analyzed using modified Grounded Theory.
RESULTS
Community members and clinicians reported divergent views of the HCD process; both groups valued the opportunity to participate. Some found the process easy to engage; others found it confusing or even embarrassing.
CONCLUSIONS
Community members and clinicians valued being part of determining the best process for healthcare delivery and practice innovation or variation; concerns remained about access to and full participation in the process. Though a promising option and valuable process, the HCD process was not equally comfortable or accessible for all. Community engagement beyond the clinical team to developing practice variation is important but must be undertaken thoughtfully.
CLINICALTRIAL
Not applicable
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