A group of Dutch innovators have created a new smartphone app, dubbed 'voICe', that is designed to ease patient communication among pediatric and adult patients who are unable to speak because they are on a ventilator or are breathing through a tracheostoma.
What makes this patient communication app so novel is the fact that it makes use of pictorial representations to represent speech and text at the same time, with the images being adapted to serve the needs of child patients. The app also allows for the incorporation of video messages from loved ones.
Good patient communication is key to improving patient comfort as well as boosting caregivers' ability to do their jobs, and this is exactly what the voICe app promotes.
Voice-Giving Apps
The 'voICe' App Eases Patient Communication in Clinical Environments
Trend Themes
1. Pictorial Communication - Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop apps that use pictorial representations to aid communication for patients who are unable to speak.
2. Multimodal Communication - Disruptive innovation opportunity to create apps that combine speech, text, and visual elements to enhance communication in clinical environments.
3. Personalized Video Messaging - Disruptive innovation opportunity to incorporate video messages from loved ones in patient communication apps for a more personal and comforting experience.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop patient communication apps that improve care and comfort in clinical environments.
2. Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity to create new technologies and apps that enhance communication for individuals with speech limitations.
3. Mobile Apps - Disruptive innovation opportunity to design mobile apps specifically catered to patient communication and healthcare needs.