Appendix 3:
Research and Design Process
About Health+™
Health+ (“health plus”) is a trademarked and proprietary program developed by Coforma in 2019, which applies human-centered design (HCD) and research to cultivate solutions to the most pressing challenges in the health care sector. The Health+ research and design methodology utilizes human- centered design that focuses on specific, high-impact health issues, with the goal of developing thoughtful, insightful, and impactful solutions that people can align around. By hearing directly from people living with the high- impact health issue placed in focus, we ensure that future solutions are crafted to solve the most pressing challenges faced by those individuals.
Our Methodology
Discovery
Recruitment: We recruited a diverse community of individuals to learn alongside, including people with Long COVID, their caregivers, health care providers, advocates, and other subject matter experts. We conducted outreach using a variety of strategies: conversations with Long COVID advocacy organizations, including Survivor Corps and Body Politic; social media, including Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter; through the networks of our partners at HHS; and through organizations with deep relationships in various communities, including the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the California Center for Functional Medicine.
Research methods: After conducting desk research to review existing white papers, news articles, and reports on Long COVID, we initiated a series of four discovery workshops with people with Long COVID, caregivers, health care providers, advocates, and other subject matter experts. Their expertise and input informed our subsequent research plan and areas of inquiry. We then employed a range of research methods to ensure an accessible, comfortable experience. These included 60-minute, semi-structured, remote interviews; audio diaries; and virtual postcards. Over 60 people with Long COVID, caregivers, health care providers, advocates, and other subject matter experts were engaged.
Areas of inquiry: Research focused on deeply understanding the experiences of identifying, diagnosing, and treating Long COVID; the extenuating impacts of Long COVID on lives, livelihoods, and communities; support and assistance for people living with Long COVID, caregivers, and care providers; perceptions and attitudes about Long COVID; and bright spots, opportunities, and aspirations for improving the quality of life and care for people with Long COVID.