Lina Goldstein

A Medical Alert to Protect Veins for Dialysis Fistulae.

A significant challenge that renal patients and their clinicians face is trying to avoid restricted procedures that could cause damage to veins. It can also be years before kidney disease is detected in a patient. By then, damage to veins can already have occurred, making it difficult or impossible to place a fistula, which is needed for dialysis, to treat renal disease.

But, restricted procedures are not always avoided, which can lead to medical incidents, limited patient treatment options and a shortened life expectancy. If clinicians could easily identify these patients with a medical alert, they would have a better chance of avoiding medical incidents and preserving a patient's veins for a fistula.

But, there is a lack of suitable hospital-patient medical alerts available, specifically for renal patients for vein preservation. Existing medical alerts to identify patients, such as colour-coded wristbands, have concerns and have led to medical errors.

My research explores, identifies, and creates new knowledge of the current user experience (UX) of patients with renal disease, their whānau, and clinicians, and their context-specific to Aotearoa. My goal is to co-design and develop a safe, inclusive, and useful medical alert prototype, to protect veins for dialysis fistulae.

During the Master of User Experience Design programme at Te Herenga Waka, my interest in UX design for healthcare began. I had the opportunity to work on several UX health projects. I was then fortunate for my PhD to join a project that is a collaboration between the Design Research Innovation Lab and Ara Manawa at Auckland City Hospital and Te Whatu Ora, researching a Medical Alert to Protect Veins for Dialysis Fistulae.

Although user experience in healthcare is relatively new, I believe it is an area where user experience design (UX) can be most helpful. Potentially providing patients with a better, safer experience and clinicians with useful, accessible tools.

I am incredibly grateful for the knowledge, advice and support of my supervisor Dr Edgar Rodríguez Ramírez, and the guidance of my secondary supervisor Dr Gillian McCarthy from the School of Design Innovation, and Dr Brian Robinson from the Faculty of Health.

Supervisors

Dr Edgar Rodríguez Ramírez, School of Design Innovation
Dr Gillian McCarthy, School of Design Innovation
Dr Brian Robinson, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Practice

Academic Qualifications

Master of User Experience Design
Bachelor of Design Innovation

Academic Awards

2021 Wellington Doctoral Scholarship