Here Khoa Pham, UI/UX and Design Lead of K4Connect, explains how to design digital healthcare solutions that are accessible and easy to use for older patients.
September 29, 2021
By: Leila Hawkins
We speak to Khoa Pham at K4Connect about how to design digital healthcare solutions for older patients
K4Connect is a tech startup that develops technology solutions for older adults. Here Khoa Pham, UI/UX and Design Lead of K4Connect, explains how to design digital healthcare solutions that are accessible and easy to use for older patients.
What issues do older patients encounter with digital healthcare tools?
The first things that come to mind are accessibility and privacy. And when I say accessibility, I mean both physically and from a design standpoint. Older adults and patients have a lot to be concerned about when it comes to privacy as they are often targets of personal information and digitally-driven scams. The privacy of their data, their rights and control of usage should be easily accessible and clearly defined.
The ability to use the internet and having access to the tools to get there is also an accessibility consideration for older adults. The majority of digital healthcare tools presume these capabilities and while older adult internet usage is rising, there is still a significant portion of this demographic reported to not be connected to the internet.
How they access the internet must also be taken into consideration. For example, those without personal devices using public computers at the library or community center introduces a whole host of privacy concerns. Along with these prerequisites to gain access to these tools, there can be a financial barrier to entry. We serve seniors across the entire socioeconomic spectrum, including those who may not be able to afford a couple hundred dollars for a laptop.
Are there specific issues with the design of digital healthcare tools?
There are a number of common issues that tend to break down in value when the physical impairments of those 65+ get more specific. For example, practices such as color contrast, font sizes and one-size-fits all accessibility are less impactful for an older adult with severe visual impairment like macular degeneration.
There is also the burden of having to understand technology and complicated medical terminology being placed on the individual who’s trying to self-serve. Is it truly easy for an 82-year-old to set up their own Zoom call to discuss their Haemoglobin A1C? Do they know what that means? These are the types of questions we’re constantly asking ourselves at K4Connect to ensure we are designing technology as true advocates for older adult users.
What are the most important things to take into account when designing healthcare solutions for older patients?
Empathy, always. Ultimately the goal is empathy for each individual’s unique circumstances. We begin, at least, with empathy that “older patients” means more than everyone 65+ having all the same problems.
There are those with vision issues, others that have mobility impairments, those with memory loss, those who have a lot of money in retirement, those who are on state-supported care, those who are close to family, those who are far from family, those who are veterans, those who are widows, and those who combinations of everything above and more. There isn’t a one size fits all solution. You can certainly start broadly, but to reach people that need it most, some specialization needs to be considered.
What is K4Connect’s approach?
We acknowledge that there are many stakeholders in this industry. There are the older adults, their friends and family, the community’s staff, the operators, the technology and health partners and the best solution involves serving all of them well. We want to create an ecosystem that centers around the older adult.
>> Interested in more? Read the full piece in Healthcare Global.