Collecting patient feedback is essential for evaluating medical treatments. One valuable method is using Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) questionnaires that capture patients’ experiences before and after care. Yet, challenges like language barriers, reading difficulties, or low motivation can prevent many from completing them, especially those from disadvantaged groups.
The MIA-PROM project addresses this issue by developing a Multimodal Interactive Assistant (MIA) that guides patients through PROM questionnaires, explaining terms, answering questions, and encouraging completion in an accessible, engaging way.
The project is led by the Institute of Medical Sociology and Rehabilitation Science at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Since 2002, the institute has focused on health services research across all life stages. Their research explores what supports good health and what kinds of care systems and services promote well-being in an equitable, sustainable way.
As part of the MIA-PROM project, the team set out to develop a digital assistant to help patients complete health questionnaires more easily. Early on, they explored whether this assistant should take the form of a robot or an avatar.
A key part of this process was working closely with a patient advisory board. Together, they evaluated different design options and decided that a social robot like Furhat could be especially effective. Furhat stood out for its expressive face, approachable size, and flexibility. The advisory board shaped its appearance, choosing a neutral medical outfit, a name tag, and a warm, trustworthy persona.
During the advisory meetings, the team tested the full prototype, identifying challenges and offering suggestions to optimize all aspects of the experience, from interaction flow to accessibility. The board also reviewed study materials like consent forms to ensure clarity and ease of understanding.
To take the testing further, the team visited one of their clinical partners, the Center for Outpatient Rehabilitation (ZAR) in Berlin. There, with Dr. Eric Therstappen (Psychosomatics) and Dr. Robert Lindenberg (Neurology), they conducted a live evaluation of the system. The session focused on technical performance, usability in a clinical routine, and final preparations for the upcoming field study.
In the final testing session, board members confirmed that their input had been successfully integrated. Their involvement helped ensure the robot-assisted system is accessible, relatable, and ready to support a wider range of patients.
Hillmann, Stefan, Navid Ashrafi, Philipp Graf, Philipp L. Harnisch, Eva Jansen, Manuela Marquardt, and Jan-Niklas Voigt-Antons. “Multimodal Interactive Assistance for the Digital Collection of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures.” The Digitalization of Healthcare for Older Adults, 2024, p. 6, Berlin. Forthcoming. https://mia-prom.de/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Hillmann-et-al.-2024-Multimodal-Interactive-Assistance-for-the-Digital-.pdf
