Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Healthcare Visual Map Tool for Health Workers to Improve Quality of Life of Home Care Patients: Study Protocol.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Primary Healthcare Innovation
• Patient Safety Technology

Background:

• Home care programs serve elderly and frail populations, facing challenges in ensuring patient safety due to supervision limits, environmental risks, and complex health conditions.
• Fragmented health information hinders healthcare professionals' ability to identify and manage critical risks effectively in home care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a visual map integrated into electronic medical records for home care patients.
• To enhance healthcare professional interventions and improve patient safety and quality of life through this visual tool.

Main Methods:

• Phase 1: Design a visual map by identifying key health areas and contributing factors for home care.
• Phase 2: Conduct a cluster-randomized clinical trial to assess the visual map's impact on hospital admissions, falls, injuries, and quality of life.
• Phase 3: Perform a qualitative study to evaluate the visual map's overall impact on the home care program.

Main Results:

• Anticipated reduction in hospital admissions, falls, and injuries among home care patients.
• Expected improvement in patient quality of life through more targeted and effective professional interventions.
• The visual map is expected to facilitate better identification and management of health risks.

Conclusions:

• The visual map is a practical tool designed to enhance the safety of vulnerable home care patients by integrating critical health information.
• Its feasibility and potential for integration into routine primary care suggest broader applicability and value.
• This innovation aims to improve the overall effectiveness and safety of home care services.