Patient Journey Value Mapping: Illustrating values and experiences along the patient journey to support eHealth design

Abstract

This paper introduces patient journey value mapping – an approach to capture experiences, emotions and values implicated in patients’ care delivery. As patients’ values (i.e., what’s important to them in their lives) may change along their patient journeys, our approach aims to support designers to respond to patients’ changing needs in the (re)design of eHealth, by mapping patients’ values and their prioritisations over time. To substantiate the creation of the map, we propose two preceding data collection phases comprising complementary empirical methods. First, important care-related events and associated values are collected retrospectively through interviews, and in-situ through diary studies. Subsequently, the data are analysed to develop materials to elicit values and value tensions through deepening discussions in an interactive workshop based on which the maps are finalised. The approach is illustrated through discussions and reflections on its application in a case study investigating patient values in eHealth for rehabilitation care.