GE Reports

Even for adults, getting an MRI can sometimes be an intimidating experience. For children, it can be downright scary — with many having to be sedated before they receive diagnostic imaging. That’s why GE Healthcare has been working on its Adventure Series program that uses design to tackle the very real anxiety issue that children face in hospitals. It’s one of the subjects that GE’s Bob Schwartz, General Manager of Global Design, is discussing at this morning’s “Health by Design” panel being held at GE’s healthymagination technology showcase in New York. In the audio slide show below, Bob explains how a pilot program now underway helps the fear drift away through jungle, pirate and undersea adventures that come alive right in the imaging room.

For the past several years, GE Healthcare has been working with a number of child life specialists from leading children’s hospitals, the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, award-winning design firms and a major medical center to develop a pediatric imaging solution that improves the experience for patients and their families. It’s resulted in what the researchers describe as a “scientific approach to reducing anxiety.”

It can include creating a “Child Life Theatre” that acclimates children to the appearance, sound, and feel of medical imaging long before the scans take place; changing the look of the imaging equipment and surrounding radiography room; and rewarding children for their participation.

The end result is decreased use of sedation — and an immensely improved patient and family experience. That kind of real impact that design can have is one of the themes that the “Health by Design” panel — which includes design experts from in and outside of the healthcare industry — is addressing at this morning’s session. You can check back later today for updates from the panel discussion.

Read our recent stories from the new healthymagination technology showcase:
* “GE announces cancer research; $250M fund; clinic aid”
* “A closer look at GE’s pocket-sized Vscan ultrasound”
* “Vscan pocket-sized, ultra-smart ultrasound unveiled”
* “A breakthrough decision support solution for docs”
* “Tackling access with Brivo imaging technologies”
* “The business of bringing healthymagination to market”
* “At the showcase: Health by design and window tweets”
* “Scintillating tech: The world’s 1st high-def CT scanner”
* “Healthymagination tech showcase kicks off in NYC”

Bob’s GE Healthcare team recently won five medals in one of the world’s most prestigious industrial design competitions — the 2009 International Design Excellence Awards. Click here to read the story and see the award-winning designs.

* Check out photos from the healthymagination showcase on Flickr.