CS 5340 - Human-Computer Interaction


I2 Individual Homework #2 – Project Brainstorming


Screening at Ophthalmologist’s clinic

Screening for depression, dementia, and other geriatric conditions in eye clinics waiting room is feasible by a touch screen kiosk and has the potential to improve the overall healthcare of elderly patients. With increasing numbers of geriatric patients entering eye clinics, it is important to recognize and possibly screen elderly patients for treatable geriatric conditions. Early detection can help patients obtain early treatment and help the quality of life for both patients and their caretakers. Unfortunately, very little screening is done now. A screening tool, such as this, will not only serve to identify the patients at risk, but serves as a tool for physicians to open discussions with their elderly patients.

The application tool will use an agent to help patient to go through a series of questionnaire that will records patients information which can be used by the physicians to get to know their patients thoroughly.

The application will also have a few more features providing necessary assistance, such as filling forms, making an appointment with a doctor, searching a doctor and finding a room etc..

Advertising Screens

While the Patients are waiting in the clinics waiting room, this advertising touch screen tool will launch different new products for health care.

If any patient is interested, he/she can interact to the tool to get more information on the product, the benefits of using it and demonstrating the use of it by showing a few videos. If the patients find the product useful they can order the product by filling in a simple digital form with a smart pen.

This tool will have a printer connected to the it, when the patient fills in all information ,the patient can get a receipt of the product he/she has ordered. This tool will motivate people to use technology to lead a healthy life.

Literacy about cancer and Cancer Therapies

Overall, the lifetime cancer risk is 44% in men & 38% in women. Among people over the age of 65 years, there is an 11-fold increased incidence of developing cancer as compared to younger individuals. The median age at the time of a cancer diagnosis is 68 yrs. 56% of all cancer diagnoses & 70% of all cancer deaths occur in the over-65 population. In the last 30 years, the incidence of cancer has increased 26% in > 65 year-old population as compared with a 10% increase in the population < 65 years. Cancer-related mortality has increased among the older population by 15%

Thus, the elderly are disproportionately affected by cancer and its associated sequelae. This gives rise to use of a powerful tool that can create awareness among people to make them literate about cancer and Cancer Therapies.

There are a few Barriers to Cancer Therapies.

o Increased pessimism: “Cancer is contagious”, “Cancer is incurable even when diagnosed at early stages,” and “Treatment for cancer is worse than the disease itself” (Beckman and Rohan. Cancer. 74:2004, 1994)

o Less general health knowledge and literacy than younger patients

o Less assertive in therapeutic triad and decision making

o Emphasize desire not to be a burden

o As likely to agree to curative treatment but quality more than quantity of life influences decision making

o Coping skills are more refined than younger patient

There Barriers can be resolved if there is proper counseling of the patient via an Agent. All these are patient perspective which can be changed by proper techniques taught to the agents. This tool will not only the patient but also create awareness among other audiences. Patient’s information will be analyzed and used by doctors to give timely feedback.