Human Centered Design Principles for Open-Source Medical Devices

So much lifesaving medical technology exists in the world, yet so little of it benefits under-resourced communities. Purchase price is only one barrier. The World Health Organization found nearly three quarters of devices provided by industrialized countries are not used when they reach under-resourced communities. Most medical devices and diagnostics fail to operate effectively in environments with power fluctuations, high temperatures, high humidity, dust, insect infiltration, poor availability of spare parts, high-cost consumables, and low staff-to-patient ratio. To provide robust, well-designed products for under-resourced environments, devices need to be developed to address the needs of the local clinics, hospitals, and communities. Human-centered design (HCD) is a set of tools, processes, and mindsets that can help a team uncover the essential needs of diverse stakeholders involved in the success of medical technology for global health. This chapter provides an overview of the HCD techniques, which the authors have found most useful in developing medical technology for global health applications. To illustrate the HCD techniques and their benefits, the case study of Design that Matters’ Firefly phototherapy is presented. The device is now treating newborn jaundice in under-resourced hospitals in over 20 majority world countries. We also analyze The beneficial synergies between HCD and open-source medical devices (OSMDs), which help to promote user-centered developments and to better consider the needs, resources, and skills of local populations, thanks to improved sharing of information.