Design Thinking: The Compass for Navigating Population Health Management

Setting the Scene

I am probably one of the slowest at writing my reflections on Arab Health Exhibition 2024 and so many of my colleagues have provided amazing 360 degree views. I was particularly taken by the panel session led by Simon Swift and his fellow panelists: Prof. Edward Kunonga Oskari Eskola Ibrahim Almaghlouth Tiago R Magalhaes and Rizwan Tufail

Within this data continuum session, there were strong elements of design thinking and human centricity. Vijay K. Luthra MSc FRSA ChPP FAPM ChMC FCMI recently wrote something profound on the latter and definitely worth reading that manifesto.

So onto Design Thinking...Not a New Idea but One that has yet to be Mainstreamed

The complexity of healthcare issues is rising, so it's critical to implement cutting-edge tactics that guarantee comprehensive and efficient management. Traditionally linked with the fields of product development and user experience, design thinking provides an effective framework for tackling these issues, especially in the context of population health management (PHM). This reflective piece examines the fundamentals of design thinking, how it might transform PHM, and presents a five-point framework for medical professionals who are keen to put these ideas into practice.

Examining Design Thinking as an Innovation Approach

Fundamentally, design thinking is a method of problem-solving that gives priority to solutions that are focused on people. It entails having a thorough understanding of the demands of the user, redefining challenges creatively, and using a hands-on approach to prototyping and testing. It's a philosophy that promotes inquiry, iteration, and an unwavering emphasis on the end-user rather than just a set of procedures. In the healthcare industry, a "design language and code" are obviously necessary (I pay attention to you Calvin Hart Cassian O. Monstarlab . This language, which functions almost like a blueprint, directs the development of solutions that are not only practical but also sympathetic and easy to use. It involves converting intricate medical and technological data into easily understood.

Learning from the Best: Design Thinking Across Industries

A number of non-healthcare industries have found great success with design thinking. For example, the technology industry has used it to develop digital goods that are easy to use and intuitive, and that blend in with our everyday life. In a similar vein, the car sector has used design thinking to improve user experience with an emphasis on sustainability, comfort, and safety. These illustrations highlight how design thinking can be applied to a wide range of problems by prioritising the wants and experiences of the user.

A Five-Point Framework for Population Health Management Design Thinking

Using design thinking in PHM calls for a methodical process. Here is a starting five-point framework:

Smart Cities: A parallel for Innovation in Healthcare

An intriguing link exists between smart cities and the application of design thinking in healthcare. These urban regions promote sustainability, improve quality of life, and streamline urban services through the use of technology and data. Smart city success depends on their user-centric design process, which creates solutions that are easy to use, understand, and helpful to citizens.This translates to the healthcare industry as employing technology and data to develop PHM projects that are not only effective but also customised to the unique requirements and preferences of various demographic groups. For instance, hospitals can utilise data to identify health patterns, anticipate outbreaks, and customise interventions to meet the requirements of particular communities, just as smart cities use data to enhance traffic flow and minimise pollution.

OK So Give Me a Tool to get started

Consider creating a 2x2 matrix with "Impact on Population Health" on one axis and "Capability to Implement" on the other to help determine which PHM initiatives would benefit most from design thinking.

How might NEOM in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia incorporate the above thinking?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ambitious mega-city project, Neom, offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to use design thinking techniques to create a city that prioritises population health management (PHM) from the ground up and acts as a hub for innovation and technology. Neom is a blank canvas that aims to be a smart, sustainable city. It offers a special platform for integrating healthcare utilising design thinking into the urban fabric. I am sure a lot of this is underway and this is just my outside-in perspective:

Applying our readiness PHM 2x2 matrix, we might come up with the following:

Final thoughts

As we can see, health and well-being into urban planning and administration might be revolutionised by implementing design thinking in Neom's development. Neom may become not simply a prototype for future cities but also a thriving, healthy community where innovation and well-being coexist by embracing a human-centric approach to health.

To sum up, design thinking provides a revolutionary method for addressing the complex issues associated with population health management (PHM). Healthcare providers may create interventions that are not only more successful but also more inclusive and long-lasting by putting the needs, experiences, and settings of the populations they serve front and centre. There are challenges in the way of incorporating design thinking into PHM. It necessitates a paradigm change in the way healthcare systems see and handle problem-solving, moving away from the conventional linear, problem-focused methodology and towards a more iterative, human-centred procedure. Building skills in areas like empathy, co-creation, and prototyping—which may not have been central to healthcare practice in the past—is required in light of this transformation. However, there are a lot of potential benefits to this strategy. Design thinking facilitates a deeper understanding of the communities we serve, which in turn helps us develop solutions that are more deeply aligned with the needs of those communities. Higher engagement, improved health outcomes, and eventually a more equal healthcare system can result from this. Furthermore, PHM projects may be flexible and sensitive to evolving health landscapes because of the iterative nature of design thinking, which continuously refines and adapts solutions based on feedback from the actual world. This is especially important now because the problems facing global health are getting more complicated and dynamic. The analogies from smart cities highlight the potential of technology and data when used with an eye towards the needs of people. Similar to this, using data to guide design thinking in the healthcare industry can result in more proactive, predictive, and individualised approaches to patient treatment. This increases people's ability to manage their health more actively and improves the effectiveness of healthcare services. Healthcare executives can use the PHM 2x2 Matrix as a strategic starting point to organise and apply design thinking to their PHM efforts. It emphasises how crucial it is to match organisational capacities with the possible influence on population health in order to allocate resources to projects where design thinking may have the biggest impact. In conclusion, there is a big chance to reinvent healthcare delivery by incorporating design thinking into population health management. It requires cooperation from designers, technologists, healthcare experts, and—above all—the communities they serve. By working together and sharing a dedication to creativity, empathy, and iteration, we can create a future that is healthier for everyone. Let us keep in mind that the essence of design thinking is its capacity to alter not only the solutions we develop but also the way we approach and think about health-related issues as we set out on this journey. It's a route towards better human-centred, efficient, and responsive healthcare, which is an objective well worth going after.