Finland developed a first prototype of the ICanFunction mHealth Solution (mICF) to enable disabled people to self-report their life situation by using lay language based on ICF and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).
The prototype is a combination of a mobile user interface and a content metadatabase. The user interface was designed in iterative service design workshops together with end-users. The user interface displays terminology from a Term editor metadatabase (FunctionMapper) that organises both lay language ICF-based questions or phrases and answering options and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs). The prototype is based on open source code and available for further development through EUPL 1.0 license.
Out first test results showed that this proof-of-concept was a success as the test user liked the idea behind the prototype. It enabled structured, individual self-documentation of functioning for a diverse cohort. Users will benefit from the App if their data are taken into consideration in service planning and monitoring. Adult, young and child users experienced the App as easy to use. They wanted it to be connected to electronic health and social service systems and to be easily available.
After the prototype launch several Finnish stakeholders have expressed their need and interest for the mICF as part of their current service development projects. These stakeholders include several ongoing top-priority governmental projects that develop:
- citizen-based digital services (Virtual hospital 2.0 https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/real-patients-in-a-virtual-hospital and ODA project. More information on the ODA-project (in Finnish and Swedish only): www.kuntaliitto.fi/oda )
- work paths for persons with partial work ability (Sataosaa project and TOIKE project).
- mobile self-assessment for refugees (Mobitarmo, more information inFinnish only: https://www.thl.fi/en/tutkimus-ja-asiantuntijatyo/hankkeet-ja-ohjelmat/kulttuurisensitiiviset-toimintakyvyn-arviointimenetelmat-mobiilissa-mobitarmo-)
National Institute for Health and Welfare invited them to a collaborative workshop Tuesday 20th June. The workshop brought various stakeholders together and discussed common needs and aims, timelines and available resources for mICF content and interface development and use in service planning and monitoring. All participants expressed deep interest to collaborative mICF content and interface development. A goal was set: all these Finnish stakeholders go back home and discuss within their decision boards their decisions of roles, tasks and resources for the collaborative development plan that THL puts together. Next meeting was set 4th September.