Technological platform for health self-management through the Internet of things
This proposal addresses the issue of self-management of health and diseases, citizen participation focused on health applications for disease management. The system will help the patient to make decisions supported by the evidence (health parameters monitored in real-time) and according to the general indications of the patient’s treatment. The proposed system will allow the patient to manage their illnesses by being able to control their diet, exercise, and daily medications, as well as to support compliance with them. The system will provide the patient with a safety framework by monitoring the effects of self-management on the patient, learning from the positive results and reacting to any empowerment of the patient’s condition, by activating the corresponding contingencies. The proposal is designed to be the “best friend of your health”.
Description
The project will mainly consider sick people suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVD). This proposal focuses on the self-management of arterial hypertension (HT). The core progress of the project focuses on the determination and execution of the functions of the system that are shown to be effective in achieving the participation of the user/patient, and to be able to obtain the sustainability of the patient’s self-management, making the beneficial effects have impacts long-term. To achieve this purpose, the following is proposed:
An end-user-centred approach: an iterative user-centred design process with the support of piloting experiences with patients, doctors, and caregivers in real environments, guaranteeing the usability and acceptance of technology by the patients, as well as the doctor and the caregivers.
A co-produced health vision to empower the patient: our system proposes to empower the patient within a context of medical care, where the decisions made by the patient consider medical advice; In that sense, they are not completely autonomous decisions. Our approach also contemplates patients’ willingness to empower themselves, a factor that cannot be assumed and needs to be encouraged. The development methodology that we propose, the characteristics of the system and the mechanisms of exploitation focus on the aspirations, fears, and needs of the patients.
A business vision: administrators of public and private health services, as well as home care providers, are active agents in the validation process, in order to make “market potential” a driving force for the design and implementation of the system.
Advanced technological features: availability is included on any mobile device platform; This cloud-based platform offers advanced interoperability, security, and privacy; The information and knowledge system employs an intelligent analytical tool to allow the customization of services and prediction models.
Design and evaluation of the research protocol for tests: a clinical test protocol will be carried out at the University Regional Hospital (HRU) at the end of the second year of the project. The project has been structured in three stages of one year each.
