Embassy of Health
Durante el primer Evento Mundial de Diseño, el Innovation Powerhouse se transformará en la Embajada de la Salud. A lo largo de WDE y DDW, the Innovation Powerhouse The exhibition 'Chronic Health: Designing a Healthy Future' will be displayed.
The embassy focuses on the intersection of design and health, showcasing a diverse range of examples, from 'open' design and collaborative care applications to advanced medical technology and innovative prototypes. What role will design play in the bigger picture?
Design for health
Health is a top priority for everyone, and our life expectancy is on the rise. Thanks to technological advancements, we have more control over managing our own health and illnesses. However, technology is not the only solution. Healthcare has advanced, allowing us to extend life expectancy from birth to old age. This progress is not without its flaws. Despite its imperfections, we can live a fulfilling and independent life.
Healthcare is undergoing a transformation from being provided by healthcare agencies and analyzed in labs to a trend of self-monitoring and self-diagnosis. The traditional role of hospitals is diminishing, and the concept of "hospitalization" is no longer solely focused on providing the most comfortable support to patients during their stay.
Thanks to technological advancements, we are now able to take more control over managing our own health and illnesses. When the available options do not meet our needs or there are significant delays, individuals and patients are increasingly taking matters into their own hands. For instance, consider the idea of performing a self-surgery using a DIY surgical robot, similar to the one designed by artist Frank Kolkman. How far will we go in independently developing and designing new healthcare applications? This trend of Do It Yourself and Do It Together is creating a tension between open-source healthcare applications, patents, and established economic models.
Designing with empathy means creating products, services, or experiences with a deep understanding and consideration of the needs, feelings, and perspectives of the users or customers. It involves putting yourself in the shoes of others to design solutions that truly address their challenges and improve their lives.
With the increase in the number of chronic diseases, the question is how can we deal with these diseases as individuals. In addition, the Embassy of Health embraces Chronic Health from the relatively 'young' definition of care, namely: 'Care as the ability to adjust and direct yourself in light of social, physical and emotional challenges of life' (Huber, 2011). Chronic Health shows how we adapt to illness and limitations, manage them ourselves and go on to lead the life we want.
Thanks to technological developments, we can take more control over managing our own illnesses and health. However, this cannot be achieved with technology alone. While technology can be crucial, without empathy, technological advancements lack significance. Empathy, the capacity to understand an experience from another person's perspective, is essential for creating meaningful healthcare solutions. Therefore, improving healthcare does not always require technology; alternative approaches can also result in significant advancements in care.
Chronic Health
The Chronic Health exhibition aims to educate a wide audience about the importance of care design. This is achieved by showcasing high-quality, specialized technology as well as applications created by patients, doctors, and nurses themselves (Do It Yourself). Chronic health focuses on the following topics:
The power of 'open'
Inspiring concepts and examples of 'open' care design. How do these relate to commercial initiatives? Are we able to operate on ourselves with a surgery robot arm? Do we even want that?
Take control
Are you searching for an app that can assist you? Unable to find the right app? Or is the available app not fully customized to your requirements? Take charge of your own healthcare and create your own app; whether you are a citizen, patient, healthcare professional, nurse, or caregiver. However, what challenges might you face when you decide to manage your own care?
c) Do-It-Together
Various highly specialized technology healthcare solutions demonstrate the added value of design thinking in healthcare. Collaborations that involve designers, healthcare professionals, and patients bring together diverse expertise, resulting in outcomes that exceed individual contributions. These collaborations blur the traditional roles of patients and doctors, prompting a reevaluation of their relationship.
Utopian future
The utopian future offers visitors a glimpse of what health might look like in 2050. Will we follow the lessons of the 'Blue Zones' and aim to live to be one hundred years old or more? What will the end of life be like?
Future health design talents
Trabajo realizado por los futuros talentos del diseño de la salud se exhibe.
Embassy of Health Program
The changes in healthcare and social advancements lead to various challenges. These challenges are recognized, illustrated, argued, and deliberated at the Embassy of Health. The Embassy engages citizens in shaping their own care. Additionally, the Embassy serves as a hub for a vibrant (international) health design network.
The main objectives of the Embassy of Health are:
Exhibit 'Chronic Health – Designing a Healthy Future' showcasing design and creativity in and for health;
Bring together a dynamic (international) network in the field of design for health.
3. Engage citizens in shaping the future of their health.
Design plays a crucial role in promoting health and well-being. It can influence various aspects of our environment, such as healthcare facilities, public spaces, products, and services, to enhance safety, comfort, and accessibility for all individuals. By incorporating principles of universal design, sustainability, and user-centered approaches, designers can create environments and solutions that support physical, mental, and emotional health. Good design can contribute to preventing injuries, reducing stress, improving quality of life, and ultimately, fostering healthier communities.
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