2015, Brodbeck, Dominique, Degen, Markus, Walter, Andreas, Reichlin, Serge, Napierala, Christoph, Fred, Ana, Gamboa, Hugo, Elias, Dirk

We developed a visualization tool and a methodology to support strategic planning of hospital service portfolios. Hospitals in Switzerland are reimbursed with a fixed fee per case. The fixed-fee model makes medical services comparable from a financial point of view. In order to take advantage of this model, the data that characterizes the medical services must be operationalized. The method that we developed, centers around a visual metaphor that provides the basis for strategic thinking. It is complemented by a visualization tool that allows visualization, analysis, and modification of service portfolios. Special features enable the tool to be used during live planning sessions. We describe the method, the tool, and its application in strategy workshops for infrastructure planning, reorganization, and resource optimization decisions.

2012, Brodbeck, Dominique, Degen, Markus, Reiss, Maximilian, Conchon, Emmanuel, Correia, Carlos, Fred, Ana, Gamboa, Hugo

A hospital emergency department is a complex work environment, where the availability of the right information at the right time is crucial for efficient and safe operation. The current technology in use for communication and information management is mostly based on telephones and stationary personal computers. Modern smartphones with their computational power, voice, image, and video capabilities have the potential to play a significant role in improving the flow of information in the emergency department. We developed a system that explicitly supports the work flows of an emergency department. In addition to mobile access to patient data and notifications about the availability of diagnostic findings, it provides the possibility to supply media captured on-site to the patient record, and directly supports the consultation process.

2010, Brodbeck, Dominique, Degen, Markus, Stanimirov, Michael, Kool, Jan, Scheermesser, Mandy, Oesch, Peter, Neuhaus, Cornelia, Fred, Ana, Filipe, Joaquim, Gamboa, Hugo

Low back pain is an important problem in industrialized countries. Two key factors limit the effectiveness of physiotherapy: low compliance of patients with repetitive movement exercises, and inadequate awareness of patients of their own posture. The Backtrainer system addresses these problems by real-time monitoring of the spine position, by providing a framework for most common physiotherapy exercises for the low back, and by providing feedback to patients in a motivating way. A minimal sensor configuration was identified as two inertial sensors that measure the orientation of the lower back at two points with three degrees of freedom. The software was designed as a flexible platform to experiment with different hardware, and with various feedback modalities. Basic exercises for two types of movements are provided: mobilizing and stabilizing. We developed visual feedback - abstract as well as in the form of a virtual reality game - and complemented the on-screen graphics with an ambient feedback device. The system was evaluated during five weeks in a rehabilitation clinic with 26 patients and 15 physiotherapists. Subjective satisfaction of subjects was good, and we interpret the results as encouraging indication for the adoption of such a therapy support system by both patients and therapists.