Human Centered Design

Kaiser-Permanente

I was very intrigued by Kaiser Permanente’s approach toward health care. CEO Bernard J. Tyson has done a wonderful job in creating a truly patient centered atmosphere in the Kaiser Permanente health centers. Kaiser’s exam rooms, which include comfortable leather exam chairs and wall-mounted touch screens, are part of a new human-centered, design- driven approach to medicine. Doctors are able to sit eye-to-eye with their patients, while the layout of the exam room ensures that everything literally revolves around the patient. This holistic and human-centered approach is effective in showing the patients just how important they are to the organization.

Kaiser Permanente’s development of health hubs put the patient experience as their priority. Every aspect from the start of checking in, to the inviting waiting area, to the way doctors and nurses interact with members is based upon improving the patient experience. Kaiser Permanente wants to change the view of healthcare from “getting you in and out” of doctors vitis towards “we’re inviting you to linger” around the facility. The designs of their health hubs include areas such as a public square, where patients can gain free health information and attend beneficial classes. This type of design definitely has an effect on patient activation and engagement in their own healthcare. I believe the biggest benefit of this design is the welcoming and open accessibility to their members. Patients have easy access to education and preventative care.

They want to make your visit more than just seeing a physician but creating a visit about your total health. The system’s goal is to keep their patients healthy and out of emergency rooms. The health hub designs are to be more efficient and projected to boost the number of face-to-face visits per exam room due to space-conscious floor plans, collaborative work-flows, and using new technology.

Kaiser-Permanente already is forward thinking in the development of telehealth and virtual services as they aim to move healthcare away from hospitals and into the member’s communities. I believe that their patient-centered approach is a vision for the future of health care delivery that I would look forward to spreading across more states in the country.