Abstract
As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) intensifies, hospitals face increased pressure due to the high demand for bed spaces and the associated risks of hospital-acquired infections. Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) offers a solution by enabling patients to receive life-saving intravenous antibiotic treatments in the community rather than in hospitals. However, temperature-sensitive antibiotics can degrade when exposed to heat, creating design challenges in OPAT settings. Current antibiotic infusion devices focus on the clinical need and outcomes of treatment, leaving room to improve the holistic patient experience of living with the device. Through a human-centred design approach, this project develops a Wearable cool-infuser that reimagines antibiotic delivery to address the challenges associated with AMR treatment through OPAT. This study evaluates the trade-off between efficacy and usability by prioritising patient feedback and experience throughout the development process. The resulting prototypes reveal how a user-centric functionality can lead to improved quality of life for OPAT patients.
Keywords
amr; opat; human-centred design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.719
Citation
Thompson, G., Page, R., and Rogers, B. (2024) Reimagining antibiotic delivery at home: Designing a wearable cool-infuser, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.719
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
Reimagining antibiotic delivery at home: Designing a wearable cool-infuser
As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) intensifies, hospitals face increased pressure due to the high demand for bed spaces and the associated risks of hospital-acquired infections. Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) offers a solution by enabling patients to receive life-saving intravenous antibiotic treatments in the community rather than in hospitals. However, temperature-sensitive antibiotics can degrade when exposed to heat, creating design challenges in OPAT settings. Current antibiotic infusion devices focus on the clinical need and outcomes of treatment, leaving room to improve the holistic patient experience of living with the device. Through a human-centred design approach, this project develops a Wearable cool-infuser that reimagines antibiotic delivery to address the challenges associated with AMR treatment through OPAT. This study evaluates the trade-off between efficacy and usability by prioritising patient feedback and experience throughout the development process. The resulting prototypes reveal how a user-centric functionality can lead to improved quality of life for OPAT patients.