Chapter 3 – Section 2
To maximize the impact of pediatric DHTs, consider the unique dynamics of each environment where they are used—clinics, homes, schools, and community settings.
Use this section to explore how each setting influences the adoption, usage, and overall effectiveness of DHTs, offering insights you can use to align your technology with real-world care contexts for children and their families.
Pediatric care spans a variety of environments, each with distinct considerations for implementing DHTs. Consider how the setting influences both the technology design and the approach to implementation. Key settings include:
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Home: Using DHTs for self-management of chronic conditions and remote monitoring can take place at home. -
School: School nurses and educators use DHTs to monitor health, especially for children with chronic conditions.
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Primary and specialty clinics: Clinicians use DHTs to support regular visits, track progress, and manage ongoing care.
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Community health centers: Community health centers can use DHTs to serve underrepresented populations, including those in rural or low-income areas.
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Clinical trials: Researchers can both evaluate the effectiveness of DHTs or apply DHTs in the actual trials (e.g., patient engagement, measurement and data collection). Read more about applying DHTs in clinical research here.
Meet Amir
Amir’s asthma requires diligent management across his two main care environments: home and school. At home, his parents, Tasha and Bryce, use a smart inhaler paired with a digital platform that tracks his medication use and provides reminders, improving adherence and reducing the risk of emergencies. At school, his nurse, Ryan, uses a real-time monitoring tool that alerts him to any concerning changes in Amir’s condition, enabling prompt intervention and ensuring his safety. With these connected tools, Amir’s care is seamlessly coordinated, empowering his parents and school nurse to work as a unified team in managing his health.
Personas illustrate key points in action, showcasing real-world applications and practical scenarios based on fictional personas.
- Design for developmental stages: Adapt interfaces to align with children’s cognitive and health literacy levels. For young kids, prioritize caregiver dashboards; for teens, focus on tools that foster independence.
- Establish feedback loops: Regularly evaluate age-specific needs and adjust features to stay relevant.
- Provide caregiver education: Offer ongoing support programs for caregivers as children’s healthcare needs shift.
- Consult pediatric experts: Work closely with pediatric specialists to ensure developmentally appropriate tools.
- Account for language and developmental differences: Tailor language to the population’s needs, considering both age-specific comprehension (we suggest a 5th grade reading level) and the local language context and needs of the care system.
- Formalize transition protocols: Create shared digital care plans accessible across all relevant settings (hospital, school, home) and to all relevant stakeholders (patients, caregivers, clinicians) to ease transitions.
- Consider multiple home settings: Account for complex family dynamics (e.g., blended families) by designing data-sharing and device transfer protocols for seamless care management. Consider how physical devices or passwords and login information can be transferred between relevant stakeholders.
Meet Parker
Personas illustrate key points in action, showcasing real-world applications and practical scenarios based on fictional personas.
Meet Maya
Maya’s parents, Isabel and Marco, are fully responsible for her epilepsy care. The digital platform they use is designed with their needs in mind, offering a caregiver dashboard that simplifies medication tracking and seizure monitoring. The system includes educational materials in Spanish and at an accessible reading level, ensuring that Isabel and Marco can easily understand and engage with the content. Ongoing caregiver education resources, such as videos and support programs, equip them with the tools they need to manage Maya’s condition confidently as she grows and her care needs evolve.
Personas illustrate key points in action, showcasing real-world applications and practical scenarios based on fictional personas.
