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HealthbyDesign

HealthbyDesign  



︎ Health Connect:
Creating an Equitable Community Health Ecosystem


Our aim is to create hyper-localized disruptions within a community’s
existing social determinants of health for better health outcomes.
By Natalie DeLiso ︎, Nina Lang ︎, Nehal Jain ︎, Angana Symanoy ︎







Why
The medical community is increasingly incorporating a set of principles called the Social Determinants of Health into assessments of patient health. Health Connect seeks to address these social determinants both physically and digitally to decrease isolation and activate underutilized urban space. According to Michigan's 2020 Primary Care Needs Assessment, Michigan has no shortage of primary care providers, but these providers are distributed unequally and are not always utilized even within densely populated healthcare networks. This is not just a Michigan problem: 80% of counties across the United States lack healthcare access according to a 2021 GoodRx Study. [Insert project name here] aims to provide a widely applicable framework of digital and physical interventions to move communities from underutilized space and disconnected community health services to engaged and connected health ecosystems for equitable health access.


 
Social Determinants of Health Pyramid. Source: http://www.healthydouglas.org/

How
Health Connect's physical interventions are scalable based on the existing healthcare infrastructures of each community. While an urban area like Detroit might have an abundance of physical clinics, location-activated healthcare reminders could be built into naturally occurring urban waiting spaces like bus stops or laundromats. Suburban environments like Livingston County might require interventions such as deployable popups or mobile clinics. Finally, because of the sprawling nature of rural environments, communities such as Clare County would require the most physical of interventions, with semi-permanent clinic buildings located near other local infrastructures like libraries, post offices, or grocery stores to ensure the most access for the most people.

The digital interface is conceived as the secondary connection between an individual and their health community, driven by the Social Determinants of Health. A series of "check ins" is available on the app seek to address different elements of the Social Determinants: A notification nudge for a grandchild to check on their grandparent who hasn't logged their medication intake in several days would address the "Social and Community Context" Determinant, for example. These digital interventions also become physical when addressing the "Healthcare Access" and "Neighborhood and Built Environment" Determinants with invitations to local popup health screenings, EMR tech literacy classes, and insurance enrollment drives.



     Mapping Healthcare Deserts in Michigan

What

To address the healthcare desert scenarios we identified in our research, we developed a series of physical interventions. Our three physical elements are augmented by our digital intervention: an app that we’ve developed. Each physical intervention is equipped with a wifi hotspot which can work in tandem with the app and encourage more interaction with Health Connect. Now we will walk through each intervention in more detail.

Our smallest-scale physical intervention makes use of space where people already wait in their daily lives and turns waiting time into a healthcare opportunity. Kiosks will be installed in natural waiting areas like grocery stores, laundromats, or bus stops. These kiosks will allow people to schedule appointments, update their health information, or chat with providers. This is most appropriate for low level deserts to create connections between existing healthcare infrastructures.

As we scale up in physicality and healthcare need, we move to our mobile intervention. These clinics take primary care to areas of highest need and provide care across various health disciplines: from vaccination stations, to pediatric pop-ups. Services would not necessarily be limited to medical needs, as these interventions could host classes on insurance and technology literacy. This would be most appropriate for medium level deserts to fill in gaps in communities with less substantial healthcare infrastructure.

Our final intervention is for communities with the highest level of healthcare need. For these communities, established infrastructure is either poor or nonexistent, and our intervention would involve construction of new clinics. This newly built infrastructure would be sited in a location with high local utilization to eliminate access issues. For example, a clinic could be sited near a school to provide care for sick children and make access easier for parents if they also need to see a doctor.

The digital element of our healthcare ecosystem is WebWell by Health Connect. This mobile app supports our physical interventions and promotes healthy and connected lifestyles for its users. Elements of the app address its three guiding principles: health behaviors, social connection, and environmental health. For example: badges, points, and check-ins foster better health behaviors while local events and digital buddies encourage social connectivity beyond the digital sphere.To further the environmental health of a community, geolocations are leveraged to notify users of Health Connect’s physical intervention locations.

The digital interface will provide a platform for information sharing and engagement among community members. People will be able to connect with individuals they already know and be encouraged to interact with new community members in the physical realm. Through information about local events, This point system will provide rewards for individuals, providing positive affirmations that encourage habitual healthy behavior. This intervention will also monitor health behaviors, providing feedback and insight into each user's personal health goals. This project aims to develop a digital platform that creates connections and encourages healthy habits to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities in these underserved communities.


Physical Interventions

Digital Interface


So What
By creating an expanded network of opportunities for connection and health services, underutilized areas in underserved communities will be transformed to create better social connections and health outcomes. This network will encourage community members to engage with their neighborhood and neighbors by providing easily accessible information and hyper-localized program options. These interventions will promote a wide range of healthy lifestyle behaviors. The proposal will encourage digital and physical interaction, each creating a feedback loop, furthering and encouraging engagement.

Physical interventions will activate underutilized urban, suburban, and rural spaces in the pursuit of health-centric communities. The digital connections within the community will encourage potentially isolated populations to attend healthcare-related spaces and events.

 

Building Block of Health Connect Interventions

Design To Outcomes
Ultimately, we aim for our physical and digital interventions to work together to promote healthy, connected communities. Health Connect will provide increased access to resources, with a firm grounding in addressing the Social Determinants of Health. We seek to leverage these Social Determinants to empower each individual in the community to take an active role in making healthier choices. By establishing a hub of services designed to meet the current and future needs of the community, this initiative will create positive, lasting change in the health outcomes of underserved populations.


Links to Follow:
    ︎︎︎Two Page Report
    ︎︎︎Miro Board
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Mark