SPX Talks: Designing With the Patient, Not For the Patient
Watch the replay of our SPX Talk in Spanish from March 11 with Arantxa González de Heredia López de Sabando, researcher and lecturer at Mondragon Unibertsitatea, who explored how person-centred design methodologies can transform healthcare services and patient experience. The session was moderated by Mònica Zapata.
During the conversation, Arantxa explained that truly placing people at the centre means involving them from the very beginning of projects — not only as participants who provide feedback at the end, but as active contributors throughout the entire design process. She emphasized that this approach is especially important when working with older adults and vulnerable populations, where stereotypes and preconceived ideas often shape services more than real needs.
A central theme of the session was the difference between “listening” and genuinely “designing with” patients and professionals. According to Arantxa, collecting satisfaction surveys or occasional feedback is not enough. Person-centred design requires structured methodologies that integrate interviews, focus groups, observation, co-creation workshops and prototype testing into every phase of service development.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of diversity within patient populations. Arantxa warned against treating older adults as a homogeneous group, noting that factors such as life trajectory, social support, resilience, vulnerability and context create very different realities and healthcare needs. Understanding this diversity is essential for designing inclusive and meaningful services.
Several practical examples illustrated how these methodologies work in real healthcare settings. In the oncology project “Oncoex”, the team conducted more than 40 interviews with patients receiving chemotherapy and developed 16 patient profiles to represent the diversity of experiences, attitudes and coping strategies observed. These profiles later helped healthcare professionals evaluate whether new services or solutions would actually respond to the needs of different types of patients.
One particularly important insight emerged around cancer survivors. The research revealed that many patients experienced a strong sense of abandonment after discharge, despite the positive news of completing treatment. This finding led to the creation of new initiatives focused on post-treatment support and survivorship care pathways.
The conversation also addressed the value of synthesis tools such as journey maps. Arantxa explained how these tools help teams organize large amounts of qualitative information, visualize emotional journeys and facilitate dialogue between multidisciplinary professionals. Beyond documenting experiences, these methods create opportunities for healthcare teams to better understand each other’s perspectives and identify hidden barriers within complex care systems.
Ethics was another key topic throughout the session. Arantxa stressed that involving patients cannot become a symbolic exercise. Respectful participation requires informed consent, confidentiality, flexibility and adaptation to the realities of vulnerable people. She also underlined the importance of returning results to participants, showing them how their contributions influenced projects and decisions.
Finally, the session concluded with a clear message: designing healthcare services around people requires time, expertise and resources from the very beginning of a project. However, this investment can prevent costly mistakes, avoid developing solutions that patients do not actually need, and ultimately create more human, accessible and effective healthcare services.
SPX Talks: Wednesdays for Patient Experience
The SPX Talks are short, free, online discussions with a key player in the field of patient experience, enabling you to find out more and exchange views on a range of subjects. Check out the schedule of upcoming guests on the SPX Talks page!
