Adapted health care takes into account the patient's values and wishes regarding all aspects of health care. These values and desires express the stories that people give sense to personal experiences and their lives. In his lecture on inauguration, Professor Gerben Westerhof discussed the role of digital technology in designing and researching dedicated personal personal care programs. His research on story and technology takes place in the Story laboratory.
Digital Stories
Technology is used to help people build stories that contribute to their health and well-being. One example is a book with a story about life that captures personal memories for people who suffer from dementia. This tool helps them maintain their own identity and allows them to tell the story of their life to family members and health care providers. Another example is a web-based treatment tool that transforms your life stories to older people suffering from depression. This treatment helps to reduce the symptoms of depression and improve well-being.
Analysis of large data
As several digital stories are available, the "Big Data" included in the analysis can also be used with the current technology. It is currently being explored whether computers can learn to recognize emotions in people with dementia based on the words they use in their stories about their personal past as well as their non-verbal communication during storytelling. Computer algorithms are also used to research stories exchanged by healthcare providers and customers in e-health online e - health programs such as "The Stories We Live By". In this way they want to gain a better insight into the motivation of the participants and the effect of treatment on patients.
Using digital technology
Computers can play an important role in personalizing healthcare. When used properly, they can help patients and healthcare providers exchange personal stories. The use of digital technology in healthcare creates a new direction for the relationship between man and technology. It raises the question of what is actually necessary in terms of the human interaction between narration, such as the attention of listening, telling the narrator, and thinking about the importance of personal stories. The concept of digital technology must include space for personal stories of users about technology.
