Patient centered medical device design: Complementary through the lens

Patient characteristics affect the use of medical devices by health care professionals and lay care providers with implications for the provision of safe and effective care and the enhancement of safety through patient centered medical device design. Although self treatment of chronic disease involves the patient using medical devices, patient centered design can lead to the optimization of treatment outcomes without active patient involvement with a device. For example, user centered design can accommodate patient characteristics in a treatment mask that fits snuggly and comfortably on the patient&s;s face so it performs optimally. Whatever the use of the device, patient centered design has profound implications for device manufacturers.