Project Overview
Having a medical imaging appointment can be overwhelming and distressing for young patients. More often than not, patient anxiety leads to non-compliance. In addition to being distressing for families, this causes delays or cancellations and requiring increased use of general anaesthetic and sedation, impacting on service provision for all patients. The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne and Conduct have developed an application to reduce anxiety in young patients and increase compliance. Targeted at the four to eight age group, Okee in Medical Imaging prepares families for medical imaging scans in a fun and engaging way, creating a positive experience for both patients and their parents. By utilising games, videos, photography and text, this application turns the daunting task of imaging into engaging challenge while also teaching important skills and minimising barriers to successful imaging.
Project Commissioner
The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
Project Creator
Team
Gigi Williams
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Head of the Educational Resource Centre
Project Manager
Siobhan Greene
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Senior Educational Play Therapist
Content Manager
Dhanuka Kaluarachchi
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Web Developer
Technical Manager
Charlie Pohl
Conduct
Digital Project Lead
Managing Director
James Cook
Conduct
Creative Director
Creative Director
Simon Krambousanos
Conduct
Solution Architect
Technical Director
Project Brief
Okee in Medical Imaging is the only application currently available that prepares children for imaging in the areas of MRI, CT, X-ray, fluoroscopy, ultrasound and nuclear medicine. Okee the Octopus acts and friend and mentor, leading users through the underwater game world, which reflects the imagery at the hospital. First there are three training games that teach skills required in multiple modalities: keeping still, breath holds and administering IV contrast.Then there are then six imaging missions, preparing children for each imaging modality, by highlighting and having fun with potential stressors. MRI centres on the camera and noises, while CT makes a find and seek game of the stickers on the camera. In X-ray, users simulates the experience of moving the camera around. Ultrasound introduces the gel and transducers, and nuclear medicine and fluoroscopy games explain requirements for seat belts and drinking contrast, in addition to their cameras.
Videos link the underwater world with the reality of imaging in the hospital.There is also a wealth of information for families, including tips, things to practise, wearing the right clothes and frequently asked questions.Numerous photos and hospital information such as maps, contact numbers and parking information complete the package.
Project Innovation/Need
Before Okee in Medical Imaging was developed, many families arrived at hospital with very little understanding of what their appointment would entail. Fear of the unknown and misconceptions about what a hospital visit means, are major causes for anxiety and distress in this age-group. By introducing the medical imaging concept via interactive games, a concept that is engaging and familiar to most children, we have bridged the gap in understanding. The ability of Okee to turn what was previously a scary experience into an enjoyable one, is invaluable to the parents of thousands of children undergoing imaging. Prior to Okee in Medical Imaging, it was very difficult to prepare this age group appropriately, at home, without the specialist skills of an Educational Play Therapist. Now families can take back some control and engage in this process prior to their arrival. Decreased anxiety and increased compliance allows for fewer delays, less cancellations and fewer appointments needing to take place under sedation or general anaesthetic, which means an improved, faster and safer service for staff and families.
Design Challenge
The team faced many design challenges for this project:
1) How to make medical imaging procedures fun for children?
2) How to deliver a consistent, high quality cross platform
3) experience over iPhone, Android, iPad and Android Tablet.
4) No one in the world had done this before, there was no reference base and hard to get certainty if our ideas were going to work
The team tackled these challenges by:
1) Leaning on a user centred design approach
2) Relying on proven game design models
3) Iterative build, test and learn methods
4) Regular usability testing and observation to prove the concepts
5) Creating a collaboration between medical and child development specialists and digital developers to produce an application that met the goals of the hospital while retaining high engagement, retention and replay-ability.
User Experience
When designing the user experience it was important to consider the cognitive behaviour and physical development of children. “Okee” was introduced as a companion character to mentor and guide children through the activities. Game design focused on simple interactions to make it easier for children engage. Games were designed to be shot, snappy, informative, backed up with key messages while still maintaining a fine balance between not being too abstract and not too realistic. Visually the games have larger buttons to accept small hands, while also combining good use of illustration, voice cues and animation. A research study was conducted to measure the efficacy of the application. Within the sample, children who used the app required, on average, 5.94 minutes less preparation time. Radiographer assessments of compliance improved by more than 40% and anxiety levels, as measured by parents and radiographers, improved by more than 45% when patients were asked to lie down for imaging.Parent feedback included benefits such as making it easier to talk about, increased understanding for both themselves and their children, their child sharing the experience with their siblings and feeling more at ease with the process. The application has been downloaded across the world.
Digital Experience - Mobile
This award celebrates innovation and creativity in design of a unique user experience in the combination of text, audio, still images, animation, video, and interactive content for mobile. Consideration given to clarity of communication and the matching information style to audience.
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