Development framework for a patient-centered record

Patient records have been developed to support the physician-oriented medical activity scheme. One recommended yet rarely studied alternative, expected to improve healthcare, is the patient-centered record. We propose a development framework for such record, which includes domain-specific database models at the conceptual level, analyzing the fundamental role of complementary information destined to ensure proper patient understanding of related clinical situations. A patient-centered awareness field study of user requirements and medical workflow was carried out in three medical services and two technical units to identify the most relevant elements of the framework, and compared to the definitions of a theoretical approach. Three core data models - centered on the patient, medical personnel, and complementary patient information, corresponding to the determined set of entities, information exchanges and actors roles, constitute the technical recommendations of the development framework. An open source proof of concept prototype was developed to show the model feasibility. The resulting patient-centered record development framework implies particular medical personnel contributions to supply complementary information.