Transplant patient education

Impact

These co-designed tools have helped patients better understand the importance of medications and self-care. They can now plan their care needs and ask for the support they need from caregivers. This leads to patients having more confidence to look after themselves well at home and leads to fewer readmissions to hospital with complications.

Both staff & patients are telling us that the new tools are much easier to navigate and understand and that they meet the patients needs better. They are more engaging for patients particularly because of quotes and case studies from peers who have been through transplant.

Challenge

Undergoing a heart/lung transplant is a complex and often overwhelming process. After transplant patients have to make significant lifestyle changes. They also have to take an array of medications and strictly avoid others to stay well. Managing all of this can be really challenging.The pharmacist, nurse specialists and the multidisciplinary team provide many face to face information sessions and written information/aids to the patient before hospital discharge. Despite this patients often struggle to remember and adhere to the lifestyle and medication changes required of them long-term. The challenge here is to co-design a range of novel solutions to better meet patients’ needs.

Process

Mater Transformation paired the heart and lung transplant team with a design student from NCAD. Led by the designer, the team worked through a collaborative co-design process involving patients, carers and the wider multidisciplinary team. Applying design methodology the project began with deep research into the needs, motivations and behaviours of patients following a transplant. Patients reported that the information booklet they received was too big, it didn’t have blank spaces for questions/comments, and tried to cover a bit of everything. They felt it would be more relevant and useful if it was smaller and contained more practical information on how to manage themselves at home after the transplant. Psychological and peer support emerged as a theme also.

These and other fresh insights that emerged informed the design of a range of novel solutions  to better meet transplant recipients’ needs; A new shorter education booklet, patient posters to help them get more out of their clinic visits, and a wallet card with contact details of the transplant team and a medication alert are now being used.

Output

The results of this process brought about the following:

• Transplant journey folder – this is an engaging, accessible and informative resource for both patient and carer. It is also personalised to individual needs therefore empowering and helping the patient to manage their own care at home. The tone of voice and look and feel are completely different to the original – much warmer, softer with quotes from past patients to make it relatable and reassuring
• Pocket medication card – a simple and effective tool that empowers patients to help reduce risk of medication errors.
• Posters and screens in the clinic waiting room with encouraging quotes from transplant peers, and prompts to encourage patients to ask relevant questions.