Search

Living Profiles is a personal health record (PHR) designed for and by teens with chronic diseases transitioning from the world of pediatric care to the adult system of medical care. It incorporates typical teen behaviors and attitudes about health and wellness while promoting independence, empowerment, and self-care. Our multi-disciplinary team of designers, medical providers, and engineers employed a user-centered design approach to create a PHR prototype based on teen-specific needs, behaviors, and personal experiences. We advocate a human-centered design approach, especially in the collection of data that adolescents find important and insightful, such as peer interactions, short- and long-term aspirations, and goals. These data can be leveraged to be a part of a successful clinical encounter and promote better self-awareness and chronic disease management. Our collaboration that resulted in a semi-working prototype populated by data important both to teen and medical provider became a launch point for more meaningful patient-healthcare provider exchanges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]