Digitaalisten palveluiden rooli lapsipotilaiden ja heidän perheidensä potilaskokemuksen parantamisessa
Year: 2025
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Interest in patient experiences has grown, making it increasingly important to understand these experiences. Digital services play a crucial role in supporting healthcare activities and hospitalization. However, there is limited research on how digital services contribute to care and patient experience (PX), especially in pediatric care. PX represents an emerging and broader field than patient satisfaction and it can be examined from a human-centered perspective that aims to understand user experience (UX). Although the connection between UX and PX is not well understood, it is essential for creating valuable digital healthcare services through human-centered design (HCD). Most digital services are designed for adults. In this thesis, the studies focus on the unique perspectives and the dimensions of the PX of a special user group comprising pediatric patients and their families. The overarching objective is to gain insights of them as a unique user group of digital services and to explore the possibilities of digital services in supporting their PX. The research questions are: RQ1) What dimensions constitute the PX of children aged 7-16 years? RQ2) What are the current experiences of pediatric patients and their families? RQ3) How do digital services contribute to the PX of pediatric patients and their parents? RQ4) What research methods are suitable for investigating children’s PX? The thesis incorporates six research papers and nonmedical studies in a large university hospital in Finland. The thesis primarily employs a qualitative and HCD approach, emphasizing the intersection of PX, UX, and health informatics. Research was conducted using interviews, surveys, and experiments with video diaries and photo elicitation. Participants included pediatric patients (n=215), parents (n=290), and healthcare personnel (n=38). Both patients and parents experience mixed emotions regarding hospitalization, which can be positively influenced by various factors. Pediatric patients value normal activities, such as play and friendships, even within a hospital setting. Interventions and digital services can positively impact the PX of pediatric patients and their families. Families use digital services for both entertainment and information during hospital stays. PX also encompasses interactions outside the hospital, and the video diary study showed that chronic illness does not define children's lives, which revolve around daily routines. Multiple methods are suitable for investigating children's PX; however, one approach does not fit all, as preferences differ widely among individuals. This multidisciplinary thesis contributes to various groups, including health informatics communities, human-computer interaction, healthcare technology developers, and healthcare organizations. The thesis offers methodological insights and an up-to-date review of PX research from health informatics, PX, and nursing literature. Based on empirical studies, the thesis presents a detailed description of the relationship between PX and UX, thus advancing the field. As contribution to research the thesis identifies the dimensions of PX for pediatric patients and analyzes how PX can be influenced through interventions and digital services. The identified four dimensions of pediatric PX, each capable of providing positive and negative experiences, are: 1) Hospital facilities and entertainment, 2) Medical care, 3) Social relationships with hospital personnel and others, and 4) Feelings and coping mechanisms. These dimensions combined with pragmatic, hedonic and eudaimonic aspects form an initial PX framework for pediatric patients. The dimensions and aspects have been examined and evaluated in this thesis, results have been obtained and as contribution to practice these findings can be used as guidelines when developing digital services for pediatric patients and their families.
Source: Aaltodoc (Aalto University)
Author: Karisalmi, Nina
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7077574619