Virtual Assistance App

     This project was completed for my Medical Production Ideation Course where our assigned groups were given an industry sponsor to work with. Our sponsor was Dr. Brad Dicianno, Medical Director for UMPC Center of Assistive Technology and UPMC Adult Spina Bifida Clinic. The purpose of this project was to use the tools and knowledge we were learning within the course to identify a problem within the sponsors work and develop a solution.

     In this course I learned the concept and how to use "ethnography" as a tool to observe and document clinical activity in order to draft a clear statement of a clinical problem in need of solution and methods for concept generation to identify potential solutions. Using these tools, our group found that millions of adults in the United States are living with disabilities, and they often lack access to necessary resources making them more likely to develop secondary health concerns. However, disabled adults who see physicians and attend routine checkups are also struggling with their health and well being. Patients face challenges outside of the clinic that include forgetting treatment information, noncompliance with diet and exercise plans, and minimal community interaction. The physician cannot monitor the patient’s lifestyle once they leave the clinic, so problems that arise may not be addressed until the next checkup.

    Therefore our group determined we need a method to provide support and resources to disabled adults and improve their well being between routine checkups. Thus we found our solution with designing a Medical Assistance App focused on providing disabled adults with a way to self-manage their disability at home while in-between routine checkups. Our solution is a mobile app which we believe to be an accessible and easy to use platform that is always at your fingertips. For this project I took on the role of spokesperson where I was in charge of communicating with our sponsor, physicians and patients. All members of the team were involved in the design of the app.