Collaboration Across Disciplines to Integrate Clinical Expertise into Medical Software Development: The Approach of the Dedalus Medical Office.

Abstract

Medical informatics is a multidisciplinary field combining clinical and technical expertise. Addressing the challenge of aligning software design with clinicians' real-world needs, Dedalus established the Medical Office, a dedicated department designed to integrate clinical expertise directly into the software development process, in 2022. This paper details the approach and impact of the Medical Office. An international team of 15 healthcare professionals with experience in medical informatics was assembled. The team employed a multifaceted approach, incorporating global communication sessions and a ticketing system to track and analyze service requests. Over two years, 398 tickets were received, categorized into nine areas: clinical content curation, medical terminologies, clinical safety, clinical evaluation, design support, clinical UX, research & publication, real-world medical cases, and pre-sales support. The average duration of ticket resolution decreased over time, attributed to process fine-tuning and the formation of a relevant expert group. A preliminary satisfaction survey indicated positive feedback from technical teams. The collaborative model improved software design, usability, and clinical safety, demonstrating the value of clinician involvement. While preliminary results are promising, ongoing evaluation and adaptation are essential. The study emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in medical informatics and the benefits of clinician involvement in healthcare technology development. Future studies should explore this model's long-term impacts and scalability in other organizations and healthcare systems.