Immersion Summary – Jonah, Rob, Therese, Mary, and Sophie

Posted on March 29, 2017March 29, 2017 by Jonah

On Friday, March 3rd, Optum Team A experienced an incredibly valuable immersion at St. Joseph PACE in Mishawaka, IN. The PACE center is a nonprofit affiliated with Trinity Health whose mission is to keep the elderly “safe and healthy at home.” They identify the elderly in need and offer an affordable, accessible, engaging experience for those are determined “fit” for PACE. PACE offers a holistic and proactive approach, a “one-stop shop” if you will, that provides all the necessary factors to aging in place: doctors, physical and mental therapy, dietitians, activities, transportation, and more, all on-site. They tailor the plan to the individual accelerate recovery, prolong life, and enhance their service. The site itself looks a futuristic daycare, with spacious rooms, comfortable chairs, showers, a kitchen, Xbox, workout facility, fully equipped rooms for doctors and nurses, a non-denominational religious room for worship, and more.

While on site, we were lucky to have a guided tour and 90 minute interview with three experts: Bobbi Costigan, head nurse; Kathleen Murphy, CMO; and Ashley Stump, intake coordinator. In addition to key details about their service, they provided insightful information with regard to the user and the future of the business.

Here are the 3 key takeaways our team garnered from the visit:

PACE-like centers reduce the cost of hospitals in their community
- can we replicate this in a product or service?
What key health metrics to look for
- vitals, falls, supplement intake, etc.
The importance of a one-stop shop, easily accessible and customizable health care plan

Gallery Day Reflection

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Stephen

Gallery day was a great experience for me as I’m sure it was for the whole team. We presented all of the work we had culminated up to that point utilizing charming posters with insights coupled with roadmaps and a deep learning for what we were trying to accomplish. I had not yet met Debra, the head of Imani Unidad itself, so presenting her with our project was somewhat nerve-wracking but it turned out very well for us. Debra brought two of her associates from Imani Unidad and they loved the attention we brought to the organization and the highlights of issues needing to be addressed. Both parties agreed that the firm needed a stronger marketing PR of bringing in members in to the organization. The activity ended with some parting thoughts of making sure we continue to interview employers and realtors on their insights for further insight in our ethnographic research. It was an enjoyable day and very eye opening to get thoughts on the actual people dealing with these issues.

Guiding Principles

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Calvin

Give me a safe place to go after school

Offer an environment that allows teens to have a safe place to go after school when they are usually unsupervised. Give parents peace of mind knowing that their child is tended to and safe when they are not around.

Teen 3: “I get bored at home by myself, Boys and Girls Club allows me and my sister to have fun after school until our mom gets done”

2. Provide me with a way to get to the club

Provide a bus service or pick up with the local school buses that will drop off at the Boys and Girls Club after school. This would give children an effortless option and place to go after directly leaving school, verses walking or getting a ride with someone.

Teen 1: “I ride with Camille in the van from Adams but I know others that go to different high schools would go if they had a ride to the club”

Teen 2: “It would bring more kids to the club if the school bus dropped off at it every day”

3. Surround me with friends

Promote the club so that teen attendance will grow exponentially as more kids join the club because their friends start going there.

Teen 1:”I wish more of my friends came here to play basketball after school”

Teen 2: “I might stop coming now that I’m older and non of my friends are here with me”

Teen 3: “I come just because some of the boys and my other friends come here after school”

4. Give me a place to do my homework and get help

Hire tutors or volunteers that would be able to assist the teens with homework while also motivating them to excel in school. Having the right resources that the teen wouldn’t normally have at school or home at the club.

Teen 4:”I’m glad there are people here to help with school work sometimes when I need it”

Teen 2: “I don’t usually do homework after but I know if I need to there is always a computer I can jump on”

5. Give motivation to stay out of trouble

Motivate the kids to the idea that being in a safe place, rather than out on the streets unattended, gives them a better chance to do well in school and not get caught up in bad situations.

Teen 1: “I don’t want to be home by myself”

Teen 3: “Some kids already do sketchy stuff after school and I don’t want to get caught up in that”

Leaah Hopper, Expert Interview

Posted on March 27, 2017March 27, 2017 by Stephen

Ethnography Summary

Stephen Muldoon interviewed Leaah Hopper of AIDS Ministries

Date: 3/3/17

Type: Interview

Location: Library

Team participants: Conducted interview in group

User Characteristics: “Passionate Worker”

Executive Program Leader for AIDS Leader

Female, 30-40’s

Full-time employee and social worker for AIDS stricken Individual

Driven to support under served demographics affected by certain situations

What is this person’s biggest point of pain? Dealing with difficulties and shortcomings of individuals that do not stay on right track of help provided by organization. Dealing with heartbreaking outcomes for people affected by the disease.

Memorable quote from interview: “In some Counties, when incarcerated, they [Convicts] have a job- they have a purpose. When they get out, they are looked at with different eyes and made to believe they have no purpose “

Top 3 Leanings:

Over eleven thousand people affected in South Bend by HIV. 78% of those live under the poverty line. The AIDS Ministry serves 416 of them. Over 40% still using drugs.
Sex offenders really being affected as they can only really live in outskirts of society; future of the individuals affected by criminal past really dependent on crime
AIDS Ministry provides housing to anyone with HIV that needs it; permanent solutions for individuals and families- also provide medicines.

Key Insight – (1) South Bend really underserved relatively to large HIV inflicted population (2) No real benefit from leaving jail as getting a job and a sustainable living space is almost impossible; also no help with medical coverage for disease past prison. (3) State of Indiana does not help or have any programs aimed at helping drug affected individuals; no real support system that is superior with resources.

Activities:

Manages AIDS Ministries as a senior leader
Helps AIDS stricken individuals with housing, medication, and rehab support
Leads AA type meetings to provide support systems for those afflicted
Works with Government to create initiatives for affected individuals and to help them with medication and preventing future abusive
Provides families with permanent housing
Provides temporary housing for anyone with any type of background (with AIDS) and helps in seeking profession and full time housing

Environment

AIDS Ministries organization
Environment inclusive of people with AIDS disease
People, usually ex-convicts, make up large portion of members
Other senior leaders and administrative assistants involved

Interactions:

Talking with and helping members seeking to better themselves
Work personably with people on what the necessary steps are to improve life
Noted how passionate she spoke to us about the difficulties of these individuals and how there has to be more done to help them

Objects:

Office desk, sitting on a chair
Writing on notepad with pen
Had small child at her side

Users:

Leaah Hopper
Me and the team
Members of the organization

Ethnographic Summary- Immersion

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Nicholas

Nicholas Homolka immersed in an assisted living care facility in order to observe the pros and cons of living outside of the home.

Date: 3/4/17

Type: Immersion

Location: Wood Ridge Assisted Living

Team Participants: Connor De Mill, Nicholas Homolka

User Characteristics: “Residents of Assisted Living Care”

Average Age of Residents: around 77 years (60-94)
Cheaper living option with 24/7 care and surveillance from nurses
“Not just here, but every place I’ve worked the residents have had issues with the way things were managed. Administrative issues. They want to see stuff changed and who is in authority.”
“The administrator here is pretty cool about issues. She literally has an open-door policy where residents are encouraged to come in and share their issues. She will get on it then.”

Assisted Living Duration: Varies largely for Residents

Arrival: Referred by another facility, doctor, or family home (Where primary caregivers have been family)

Memorable Quotes from Interview: “Actually not trying to be funny but they complain about everything.”

Daily Routine

Day starts at 8
Daily Activities
- Breakfast: 8 am
- Lunch: 12:30 pm
- Dinner: 5:30 pm
- Meals are on a certain schedule so there is a good sense of variety
- Open to use the facility in whatever way they desire
- Certain group activities are offered

*Day is personal for each resident (do not have to participate)

Top 3 Learnings:

Assisted Living homes are somewhat like apartment complexes, they just have the added benefit of nurse care and surveillance
The residents all have different situations, and one resident could be very active (like using an Amazon Echo and playing Candy Crush) or very inactive (sitting on the living room couch all day)
Family members do not visit as often since the residents are more independent. Thus, the residents must get to know each other or live in solitude.

Key Insights – (1) Doing anything besides sitting on the couch all day is helpful. Simple tasks such as doing one’s own laundry keeps the mind working for a longer time (2) Being alone is extremely deteriorating to one’s health. Retirees enjoy discussions about anything, so it is important to visit loved ones and spend some time with retirees (3) Retirees do not enjoy the care they receive, and would much rather be in their homes and not bossed around.

Activities:

Examples offered in Nursing Home
- Gardening
- Family Visits & Children
- Television
- Music

Environment

Wood Ridge Assisted Living
67 residents
Toured facility
- Bedrooms- singles and doubles
- Administration Office
- Front Desk
- Welcome Area
- Living rooms
- Laundry rooms
Early-Afternoon: 12-3 pm
Other assisted living homes nearby

Interactions:

Our Activities
- Parked in Parking Lot
- Entered through two sets of doors
- Sat in Welcome Area
- Met with Angela to set things up as well as take the tour
- Placed graffiti wall in employee rest area
- Observed lunch time in the cafeteria, the busiest time of the day
- Interviewed Matthew and Annie
- Left Facility

Objects:

Board Games
Television Sets
Tables, Chairs, & Couches
Water coolers
Garden
Laundry machines

Users:

Residents
Nursing Staff
Administrators
Loved Ones
Guest Visitors

Workarounds

Posted on March 27, 2017March 27, 2017 by Stephen

previously printed and brought to class on date due

Guiding Principles

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Wen Cong

Link to Google Slides:

https://docs.google.com/a/nd.edu/presentation/d/1tMvzqRQFX0xgDFJYQdk3BZ4sK4SsZEcU9tgChLhoZHo/edit?usp=sharing

Design Criteria

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Wen Cong

Guiding Design Principles: Imani Unidad

Design Goal: The target customer for our project is not so laid out and specific as it is with other projects. The organization we are serving is called Imani Unidad which helps ex-convicts with AIDS sustain a better lifestyle and build a real support system. By a function of us trying to help the organization, we in turn share the same end result for the end user/customer. The target customer being the afflicted individuals, the design we need to help Imani Unidad implement is ultimately providing a support system more effectively so that we may prevent these individuals from hitting ‘rock bottom’ before it gets too much for them to even try. Along those lines, our project really looks to combat the systematic segregation of such individuals with these pasts, particularly in the housing and job market that prevent these individuals from getting a decent living area and job.

User Perception: The offering we suggest for the organization, Imani Unidad, is ultimately crucial for them to achieve their continuing goal of helping the community and the members at risk or currently affected by AIDS or incarceration. This as a result is a type of design solely focused on the user’s well being and crucial for improving it in the socioeconomic and mental sense. Given the nature of the mission, there are many individuals whom might not want to associate with the organization or help improve on its goal even if they have been afflicted. People fear for their reputation as the disease is synonymous with sexual relationships and such work with the organization might shed a negatively perceived light on individuals associated with it. The key research insights can really only be taken from the professionals working in Imani Unidad and the people that they are serving. Without the needs and issues dictated from these individuals, there is very little to go on to properly serve them other than mere speculation and outcome analysis.

Problems/Needs/opportunities: The target user in our case, being the afflicted individuals, would prefer the outcome of the offering to be one that provides a consistent platform for support and one that strives to ultimately make the users their own best advocates. Along the same lines, the offering to Imani Unidad would be one that ultimately tries to change the system of how members of society with a past, like the individuals in this case, can seek housing and work without being discriminated. This in turn is really a key component to laying the foundation for self support and a real permanent and positive change in the lives of the individuals seeking help from Imani Unidad. The highlight the main current pain points the user is experiencing now: support systems are not lasting or personable enough for individuals to stay in check, the current housing market generally prevents individuals from gaining decent housing, and employers usually turn away people with a criminal history. To ultimately change one’s life, there has to be a somewhat strong degree of financial stability especially for these individuals. They need decent jobs and housing options so that they can keep away from harmful environments that would see them regress to their past.

Functional Attributes: The order of importance really for the user is first gaining an actual support system and seeing greater self advocacy for a better life. The second would be housing as a major component for why people become afflicted with crime and drug use is of lack of decent and adequate housing leading them to the streets. The last deals with the job; when the user really gets more established, a job is really the final chapter of a life change as it greatly adds importance to the user’s life; subject to change importance level with housing as it depends on economic standing of user. The design of the offering is specifically tailor made for people who have been previously incarcerated (or at risk of) and have AIDS. Therefore the offering needs to be compatible with that specific group.

Constraints: The confines of our project work really lie within the boundary of what can be done by Imani Unidad. Being an official organization, there are certain restrictions on what the organization can and cannot do such as with the degree to which they can reach and help clients that isn’t intrusive. Another constraint to our work is really how successful we can be with trying to implement a change in the housing and job market. Other than gaining insight and providing employees and estate agents with anecdotes, not much can be done on our side from a legal standpoint to change how these markets are handled and who they can catered to. As well, we ourselves cannot gain more insight from afflicted individuals than what they choose to provide, be it biased or not; we cannot push them for information nor can we force them to help make the organization better to serve the individuals more accurately.

Guiding Principles

Posted on March 27, 2017March 27, 2017 by Patrick

Guiding Principles for Clay High School

1. Make me feel safe and comfortable (Need of Safety)

Students want school to be a place where they can learn and interact without fear of being physically or mentally harmed.
Students want to know that they are cared for, and that their issues will be taken care of in a transparent and fair manner.

Safe school
Disciplinary system that is fair and just
School’s physical environment
Staff/faculty that care for students

Quotes:

“I don’t really feel safe anywhere I go” (Student)
“Be careful who you friend and stay awake as long as you can” (Student)
“Clay is a trouble school depending on the people with fights and more” (Student)
“The bathrooms don’t have soap” (Student)
“For some of the security people, all they do is mess around with students” (Student)
“I’ve heard people say that the kids start fights, don’t take school seriously, and receive a lesser education” (Student)
“The schools are not managed well, some have problems with gangs and violence” (St. Joseph Alumni)

2. Help me find a strong community (Need of Belonging and Love)

Students want to feel a strong sense of community in their school, stretching from friends, to faculty, to administrators.
Students want their high school to be a place where diversity and differences are celebrated, and not persecuted.

More committed and qualified faculty members
Diversity (socioeconomic, racial, sexual orientation, religion, etc.) in the classroom

Quotes:

“Most teachers are cool and helpful, some don’t even teach right, it’s a sticky situation” (Student)
“I had a great four years; didn’t learn anything but it was fun” (Student)
“Teachers aren’t really fit to teach” (Student)
“Racial and socioeconomic diversity enriches the classroom, enriches the school community, enriches a lot of the other pieces. I very much value that” (Parent with elementary school kids)
“What I valued most about Clay was the sense of community” (Clay Graduate)
“We’ve had great support from the teachers and great support from the guidance office” (Parent)

3. Offer me opportunities to achieve academically (Need of Self-Esteem)

Students want to be given the chance to challenge themselves through academics.
Many students have aspirations to pursue further education after high school, and want a curriculum that will prepare them to succeed in the future.

Top academic opportunities
College prep opportunities
High graduation rates
AP/IB offerings

Quotes:

“Study anything, do everything” (Student)
“While I thought Clay prepared me fairly well for college, some of my classmates strongly disagreed” (Clay graduate)
“Some of the classes are just too easy” (Student)
“It was a very good four years, learned nothing but good” (Student)

4. Allow me to learn outside the classroom (Need of Self-Esteem/Self-Actualization)

Students want their education to extend outside of the traditional classroom setting.
Students want to be given opportunities to compete, and learn new skills, and pursue paths that might lead to a future other than attending college.

Art competitions where band, choir or different groups travel to national competitions
Competitive sports programs
Offerings in unique technical subjects
Freedom to pursue educational paths that align with individual interests

Quotes:

“A lack of arts would be a gap in the experience or education that I would want for my children” (Parent of elementary school kids)
“I like the fact that Clay can offer various art classes, because of the Arts Magnet, even to those that are not in the program” (Student)
“He is part of the magnet program. So, he came here for the music program. He plays several instruments” (Parent)
“I am very satisfied [with the magnet program]. They have tons of opportunities” (Parent)

Design Criteria

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Graciela Hasbun

Guiding Design Principles
Design Goal	A solution must be sustainable from a financial and social perspective People who face transportation problems cannot be defined as one specific demographic All users must be treated uniquely because there are many reasons why someone may lack access to transportation A solution must be flexible in order to cater to the needs of each specific user Functionally, solution must be able to deliver patient from point A to point B and back in an efficient and timely manner
User Perceptions	A solution to the transportation challenges of low income patients is very significant to their well being Patients often miss appointments due to lack of transportation and a solution would highly increase their health, the population health and well being The user wants the service to be cost effective as well as time efficient The service needs to be flexible in order to accommodate patients with children, work schedules as well as the need to stop other places to pick up prescriptions etc. There are no aesthetic aspects involves, but the vehicles should have minimal labeling as patients might not want to advertise to neighbors and others that they have transportation issues.
Problems, Needs, Opportunities	Problem- With such a large and diverse client population, SJHS struggles to provide transportation effectively to each of their clients Problem- It is difficult to provide a standardized transportation service that accommodates each patient’s unique needs Need- It appears SJHS will need to initiate a partnership with another organization to provide transportation Opportunity- utilize another organization’s vehicles for efficiency and to lower the burden on SJHS Opportunity- develop a partnership with a private company that provides personalized transportation for some type of compensation
Functional Attributes	A flexible service that can accommodate all kinds of patients and has transportation hours that work with different patient’s life schedules Standardize high quality of transportation service Transportation service needs to be able to help those patients who are immobile and perhaps in need of slight medical service just to leave his/her residency Transportation schedule must have times for patients who have work hours Understand that most of the target patients are elderly which means that there may need to be taught how to use certain technology if the transportation service uses an application or phone call system
Constraints	This project will be confined to only St. Joseph Health System patients and services. It will be confined to low income patients and patients with transportation issues. There are funding and staffing limitations as SJHS does not currently have a budget for transportation or receive federal funding. SJHS does not currently have any transportation capital such as vans or cars to use. There are legal limitations and liability issues as it pertains to using volunteers and assisting patients. This project must be able to handle a large capacity of patients with variable volume.