Teamwork in paediatric oncology

Designing a tool that supports and enhances teamwork and communication among staff members, parents and patients in a paediatric oncology department in order to improve care

This project is part of a research initiative between Princess Maxima Centre for Child Oncology and the faculty of IDE. The aim of this initiative is to improve the quality of patient care by creating healthcare innovations and developing scientific knowledge in which design and technology play a central role.

This partnership features different research programs; one of these, entitled fostering excellence in care, is aimed at researching how design and technology can advance the non-technical skills of medical staff.

Goals of the project

This project investigates how design can facilitate collaboration and teamwork in the context of paediatric oncology, in order to create a high-quality work situation in which medical staff, parents and patients can work together at full potential.

The team is defined based on face-to-face interaction, shared identity, social structure and common fate. It includes all stakeholders that carry medical or psychological responsibility over the patient, including parents and the patient him- or herself. Within the team, smaller sub teams can be distinguished. These sub teams have their own specific goals and are in need of their own specific information flows.