Systematic need-led design to develop low-cost solutions to healthcare challenges remotely

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the concurrent expansion of health facilities globally, it has become increasingly apparent that addressing health innovation and the delivery of healthcare services requires a focus on remote solutions and the remote transfer of knowledge. Traditional frameworks like Human-Centred Design (HCD) are often challenged when adapted to remote environments, particularly in healthcare settings that differ culturally, politically, and infrastructurally from the location of their development. This paper proposes a systematic, need-led design pipeline tailored for the remote creation of cost-effective healthcare solutions. By incorporating a series of sequential stages and adapting existing HCD frameworks, we aim to effectively address specific medical requirements in remote locations. We focus on the challenges, considerations, and necessary adaptations for successful implementation across diverse healthcare environments. Through empirical evidence from a healthcare project in Ghana, we illustrate how HCD can be effectively applied in remote settings to develop user-centred solutions with sensitivity to their broader socio-cultural dynamics. This study contributes to the discourse on HCD's applicability in remote healthcare innovation, advocating for a more nuanced approach that integrates cultural, ethical, and systemic considerations to enhance the efficacy and relevance of health interventions globally.