Health reform: a community experience using design research as a guide

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Healthcare Management
• Community Health

Background:

• Meaningful health reform necessitates improving population health and reducing costs.
• The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Triple Aim guides reform with goals for individual experience, population health, and cost reduction.
• Current reforms, like Patient-Centered Medical Homes, often overlook broader community needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess a community's opportunity to implement the Triple Aim for transforming healthcare delivery.
• To utilize design research and mixed methods to understand unexpressed health needs and inform system design.
• To identify principles for creating healthcare delivery systems aligned with the Triple Aim.

Main Methods:

• Employed a mixed-methods approach in a small, midwestern town.
• Conducted community needs assessment to guide the design and implementation of care delivery systems.
• Applied design research principles to evaluate community health opportunities.

Main Results:

• Health system design should prioritize creating health over healthcare.
• Key design principles include fostering simplicity, nurturing relationships, and reducing user fear.
• Cost containment remains a critical factor in achieving the Triple Aim.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare reform requires a community-centered approach, integrating the Triple Aim.
• Design thinking can identify essential elements for effective health system transformation.
• Findings offer guidance for professionals and policymakers aiming to achieve the Triple Aim goals.