Medical Graphs in Patient Information Systems in Primary Care

TL;DR

This paper explores the development of user-centered medical graph visualization tools for primary care, focusing on individual patient data and using open source Android software to enhance understanding.

Contribution

It introduces a user-centric approach to designing medical graphs for individual patient data, filling a gap in visualization tools for primary care settings.

Findings

Health workers interpreted the graphs flawlessly

Prototype development refined user requirements

Open source Android libraries effectively supported graph visualization

Abstract

Graphs are very effective tools in visualizing information and are used in many fields including the medical field. In most developing countries primary care, graphs are used to monitor child growth. These measures are therefore often displayed using line graphs, basing it on three indicators (stunting, underweight and wasting) based on the WHO 2006 Child Growth Standard. Most literature on information visualization of electronic health record data focuses on aggregate data visualization tools. This research therefore, was set out to provide such an overview of requirements for computerized graphs for individual patient data, implemented in a way that all kinds of medical graphs showing the development of medical measures over time can be displayed. This research was interpretive, using a user-centric approach for data collection where interviews and web search was used to ensure that the graphs developed are fit the user requirements. This followed prototype development using one of the three free, open source software libraries for Android that were evaluated. The prototype was then used to refine the user requirements. The health workers interpreted the graphs developed flawlessly.