Tool helps non-English speakers describe pain levels

A digital health tool will enable non-English speakers to describe their pain symptoms to emergency department care providers, with the goal of improving their health outcomes. A collaboration between the University of Rhode Island School of Design’s Center for Complexity and a Seattle-based design company, the tool pairs common pain symptoms, such as throbbing, cramping and burning, with animations to help care providers better understand a patient’s condition. Clinicians can then develop more accurate treatment plans, leading to better outcomes. The tool can be used on most web-connected devices and initially will be available in three languages: Spanish, Mandarin and Ukrainian, due to many Ukrainian refugees seeking care from American and Canadian providers. (HealthLeaders Media article, 3/22/23)