Work in Progress: Novel Curriculum for Innovations in Healthcare using Theory of Co-Production as a Conceptual Framework

Sabia Abidi; Javier Lasa; Parag Jain; Kirsten Ostherr; Austin Hwang; Nellie Chen

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Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Cooperative and Experiential Education Division Technical Session 2
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40800
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/40800
Download Count: 260

Paper Authors

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Sabia Abidi Rice University

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Sabia Abidi is a lecturer in the bioengineering department at Rice University and teaches courses in Systems Physiology, Troubleshooting of Clinical Lab Equipment, and Senior Design. Abidi has a doctorate in biomedical engineering from the University of Texas, Austin and completed postdoctoral research at NYU School of Medicine and MIT. Her research interests include experimentation of new classroom methods to encourage student curiosity, engagement and knowledge retention.

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Abstract

This work-in-progress paper describes a novel curriculum to foster healthcare innovation applying the theory of coproduction. Medical device and care model innovation remain primarily driven by adult health care needs in the United States, with off-label use extension in children. Moreover, the lack of opportunity for in-depth clinical observations and identifying stakeholder challenges, both difficult to achieve in traditional engineering design curricula, present unique targets for improving undergraduate level preparation for tackling future healthcare innovation challenges in the pediatric healthcare sphere. Traditional course curricula rely on instructors to identify gaps in knowledge and supplement accordingly. Co-production models have been used in healthcare services previously and rely on both parties to together decide what deliverables will be. To address inequalities in pediatric healthcare innovation, we applied a co-production model bringing undergraduate engineering and humanities students and faculty to the bedside of a pediatric critical care unit, with the goal of identifying targets for innovation. We hypothesized that this co-production model would synchronize efforts between pediatric physicians, medical humanities and engineering students and faculty accelerating innovation and information exchange. With a faculty team of two pediatric ICU physicians at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH), and a bioengineering faculty member and medical humanities faculty member from Rice University, we implemented a semester long Co-Production Program with a first cohort of 4 Rice seniors. Seniors were selected on a competitive application basis and completed required citi training prior to starting. The program consisted of didactic lectures, virtual round observations at the pediatric and subspecialty cardiac intensive care units at TCH, stakeholder interviews, personal and team reflection sessions, and Q&A sessions. Students and faculty applied the coproduction model by co-producing curricula with equal contributions from all involved parties, involving modifications in scheduling and the identification of key components of the final academic portfolio product. The program ended with an oral presentation to TCH faculty summarizing the co-production process, key findings of the needs’ identification process and next steps. Though initially designed to be a 4-6 week program in the summer of 2020, the program’s start date was delayed to January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital visitation restrictions led to the modification of the curriculum and site visits, with the students participating virtually in bedside rounds and teaching. Students identified needs to improve care in management of ICU delirium. Using tools such as storyboarding and multiple stakeholder interviews, students focused on 3 gaps in healthcare regarding ICU delirium diagnosis and management: a) quantifiability/data visualization solutions b) an app-based tool to measure family engagement and educate families on ICU delirium and c) technology solution that can reduce environmental factor interference for ICU patients. Students noted the immersive nature of the program and the value of the Co-Production model in a course curriculum as key program strengths in facilitating the identification of unmet needs. Faculty plan to present needs to engineering design courses for adoption as student led design projects as well as implement the program again in the upcoming year with an in-person format.

Citation
Format

Abidi, S., & Lasa, J., & Jain, P., & Ostherr, K., & Hwang, A., & Chen, N. (2022, August), Work in Progress: Novel Curriculum for Innovations in Healthcare using Theory of Co-Production as a Conceptual Framework Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40800

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - This work-in-progress paper describes a novel curriculum to foster healthcare innovation applying the theory of coproduction. Medical device and care model innovation remain primarily driven by adult health care needs in the United States, with off-label use extension in children. Moreover, the lack of opportunity for in-depth clinical observations and identifying stakeholder challenges, both difficult to achieve in traditional engineering design curricula, present unique targets for improving undergraduate level preparation for tackling future healthcare innovation challenges in the pediatric healthcare sphere. Traditional course curricula rely on instructors to identify gaps in knowledge and supplement accordingly. Co-production models have been used in healthcare services previously and rely on both parties to together decide what deliverables will be. To address inequalities in pediatric healthcare innovation, we applied a co-production model bringing undergraduate engineering and humanities students and faculty to the bedside of a pediatric critical care unit, with the goal of identifying targets for innovation.  We hypothesized that this co-production model would synchronize efforts between pediatric physicians, medical humanities and engineering students and faculty accelerating innovation and information exchange. With a faculty team of two pediatric ICU physicians at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH), and a bioengineering faculty member and medical humanities faculty member from Rice University, we implemented a semester long Co-Production Program with a first cohort of 4 Rice seniors. Seniors were selected on a competitive application basis and completed required citi training prior to starting. The program consisted of didactic lectures, virtual round observations at the pediatric and subspecialty cardiac intensive care units at TCH, stakeholder interviews, personal and team reflection sessions, and Q&A sessions. Students and faculty applied the coproduction model by co-producing curricula with equal contributions from all involved parties, involving modifications in scheduling and the identification of key components of the final academic portfolio product. The program ended with an oral presentation to TCH faculty summarizing the co-production process, key findings of the needs’ identification process and next steps. Though initially designed to be a 4-6 week program in the summer of 2020, the program’s start date was delayed to January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital visitation restrictions led to the modification of the curriculum and site visits, with the students participating virtually in bedside rounds and teaching. Students identified needs to improve care in management of ICU delirium. Using tools such as storyboarding and multiple stakeholder interviews, students focused on 3 gaps in healthcare regarding ICU delirium diagnosis and management: a) quantifiability/data visualization solutions b) an app-based tool to measure family engagement and educate families on ICU delirium and c) technology solution that can reduce environmental factor interference for ICU patients. Students noted the immersive nature of the program and the value of the Co-Production model in a course curriculum as key program strengths in facilitating the identification of unmet needs. Faculty plan to present needs to engineering design courses for adoption as student led design projects as well as implement the program again in the upcoming year with an in-person format. 
AU  - Sabia Abidi
AU  - Javier Lasa
AU  - Parag Jain
AU  - Kirsten Ostherr
AU  - Austin Hwang
AU  - Nellie Chen
CY  - Minneapolis, MN
DA  - 2022/08/23
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Work in Progress: Novel Curriculum for Innovations in Healthcare using Theory of Co-Production as a Conceptual Framework
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/40800
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--40800
ER  -