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MICO
Built on Segway's Loomo Robot
MICO: Medicine Information Connection Officer
MIT Hacking Medicine
UX Designer
May 2017
Overview
My team and I participated in the MIT Hacking Medicine event in the SMART Robotics and Intelligent Technologies track. Using Segway's Loomo robot as our platform, we designed and developed a system called MICO. MICO is designed to answer non-medical inpatient questions quickly and easily. This helps reduce patient stress levels, gives them a stonger feeling of control, and allows busy clinicians to focus more time on delivering high quality care.
Problems
When patients are admitted to the hospital, they are sick and they don't know what is wrong. Though medical questions can't be anwered immediately, patients also want answers to basic questions such as when meals are served and when their family can visit. Clinicians have high caseloads and don't always have time to answer these questions, making it harder for patients to be calm and focus on getting better.
Clinicians Are Busy & Overworked
Inpatients Are Sick & Scared
Research & Analysis
Patients reported several common problems with their care:
Lack of Clear
Communication
Lack of Orientation to
Room & Hospital
Whiteboards Not Updated
with Care Information
Clinicians reported several common problems with providing care:
Shortstaffed
Lack of Time
Overwhelmed
Ideation
What can we do to help solve these problems?
Goals
Give Patients More Information
Save Clinicians Time
Improve Patient Satisfaction
Competitive Analysis
Solution
Provide patients with non-medical information to help them adjust to their new environment in the hospital. This information covers meal times and options, visiting hours, how to use the entertainment system or call a nurse for help. Patients benefit because knowing what to expect and how to do things decreases stress and gives them a feeling of greater control. Clinicians benefit because they will spend less time answering non-medical questions and can focus more time providing high quality care.
Business Model
Target Market: Hospitals
Pilot Plan
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