By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Empathy, Humanity and Design at GE Healthcare
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > Empathy, Humanity and Design at GE Healthcare
BusinessHospital AdministrationMedical DevicesTechnology

Empathy, Humanity and Design at GE Healthcare

Deanna Pogorelc
Last updated: October 4, 2013 8:00 am
Deanna Pogorelc
Share
3 Min Read
healthcare delivery GE healthcare
SHARE

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

healthcare delivery GE healthcareA medical procedure can be the most emotional, frightening thing to go through. Yet, healthcare is so technical and process-driven that the emotions around it so often go overlooked.

Originally published on MedCityNews.com.

healthcare delivery GE healthcareA medical procedure can be the most emotional, frightening thing to go through. Yet, healthcare is so technical and process-driven that the emotions around it so often go overlooked.

More Read

Clinical Trial Marketing, Clinical Trial Recruitment, Clinical Trial Engagement
Capitalize on Better Clinical Trial Design with Improved Clinical Trial Recruitment
Google My Business: A Great Tool for Hospitals
Is IRO Right for You?
The PCMH and Home Care Data: An Interview with Melissa McCormack
Are Online Doctor’s Appointments a Trend or New Reality?

“We’re not just bones and flesh and organs,” said Bob Schwartz, the general manager of global design and user experience at GE Healthcare, at the Ohio State University’s Personalized Health Care Conference on Wednesday.

Schwartz oversees a team of 60 people charged with using design thinking to put some emotion into the company’s products, taking into account the user experience of not just the doctor but the patient as well. How, he posed, do we go about making healthcare less of an abrupt and startling diversion from ordinary life?

First, Schwartz said his team likes to observe how users behave, rather than asking them to describe how they behave. For example, a trauma team knows the process of delivering a patient to the emergency room like the back of their hand. But if asked to describe that process step-by-step, they’d likely leave out some of the things they don’t even realize they do, like fumble with tubes and wires. Those things, which Schwartz called “the zone of supposed paradox,” is often where the opportunity to innovate hides.

Once there’s a better understanding of the problems to be solved, it’s time to design. One of the questions Schwartz said his team considers is how to make a device feel like something a patient would see somewhere else. He showed a conceptual design of an MRI machine developed with inspiration from a pair of open, caring hands, to convey more of a feeling of comfort as the patient is rolled into the machine. Another conceptual image showed the inside of the device subtly decorated with patterns and shapes, to give patients something to look at once they’re inside the machine.

Finally, Schwartz recounted the importance of a diversified innovation and design team. “We never work by ourselves; we work in ensembles. Everybody is an owner,” he said. That includes bringing in groups from outside of the department sometimes, too. “In some projects we’ve done in recent years, the most IP has come from the HR people — go figure that.”

TAGGED:GE HEALTHCARE
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

Cleveland Clinic’s Picks for Top Innovations in 2014

October 18, 2013
quantifying healthcare
BusinessFinanceHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawWellness

Quantifying Quality in Healthcare

November 22, 2013

HSAs vs. HRAs: Which is Better?

May 19, 2011

In-Home Care Goes High Tech

June 23, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?