Digital Care: emerging care models, new players and future relationships

On Wednesday 28 June, the results of the research project Cura Digitale (Digital Care), conducted by D\Tank, the think tank of the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano, were presented at the Gianfranco Ferré Research Centre. 

The pandemic has accelerated digitisation processes in the healthcare sector, prompting users to make greater use of online services, for instance to keep specific problems under control (diabetes, heart disease, insomnia, etc.) or to adopt a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. 

A group of researchers from the Department of Design investigated the topic of Digital Care through the four main tools – research of scientific articles, exploration of patents, user analysis and discussion with decision-makers – with the aim of outlining a shared trajectory towards equitable, accessible and inclusive digital care.

Three relevant themes emerged from the research – Distributed Care, Self-Care and Health Booster Technologies – which can be considered as three different areas of design. Each area has been declined to the Present, the Possible Future and the Alternative Present to identify convergences and references useful for the realisation of strategies, products, services and places of Digital Care.