Applying the lessons of design thinking: A unique programme of care for acutely unwell, community-dwelling COVID-19 patients

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic limited access to primary care and in-person assessments requiring healthcare providers to re-envision care delivery for acutely unwell outpatients. Design thinking methodology has the potential to support the robust evolution of a new clinical model. Aim To demonstrate how design thinking methodology can rapidly and rigorously create and evolve a safe, timely, equitable and patient-centred programme of care, and to share valuable lessons for effective implementation of design thinking solutions to address complex problems. Method We describe how design thinking methodology was employed to create a new clinical model of care. Using the example of a novel telemedicine programme to support acutely unwell, community-dwelling COVID-19-positive patients called the London Urgent COVID-19 Care Clinic (LUC3), we show how continuous quality outcomes (safety, timeliness, equity and patient-centredness), as well as patient experience survey responses, can drive iterative changes in programme delivery. Results The inspiration phase identified four key needs for this patient population: monitoring COVID-19 signs and symptoms; self-managing COVID-19 symptoms; managing other comorbidities in the setting of COVID-19; and escalating care as needed. Guided by these needs, a cross-disciplinary stakeholder group was engaged in the ideation and implementation phases to create a unique and comprehensive telemedicine programme (LUC3). During the implementation phase, LUC3 assessed 2202 community-based patients diagnosed with acute COVID-19; the collected quality outcomes and end-user feedback led to evolution of programme delivery. Conclusion Design thinking methodology provided an essential framework and valuable lessons for the development of a safe, equitable, timely and patient-centred telemedicine care programme. The lessons learnt here - the importance of inclusive collaboration, using empathy to guide equity-focused interventions, leveraging continuous metrics to drive iteration and aiming for good-if-not-perfect plans - can serve as a road map for using design thinking for targeted healthcare problems.