RingMe: a phone bot for non-native patients
Ghentians are experimenting with innovative solutions to make healthcare more understandable. Introducing 'RingMe': a phone bot designed for non-native patients. This smart solution was developed within Comon's ecosystem. During one of the Microlabs on understandable healthcare, a diverse team further developed this idea into a working prototype.
Why is RingMe important?
For many patients who don’t speak Dutch, it’s difficult to communicate with their hospital in between appointments. While interpreters are often present during medical appointments to assist with understanding doctors and scheduling follow-ups, patients must rely on Dutch-speaking administration for communication in between. This often leads to miscommunication, missed essential care, or lack of preparation for procedures, such as fasting to stay sober for tests.
How does RingMe work exactly?
RingMe bridges the communication gap between healthcare providers and patients in a smart way. It’s an appointment bot that calls the patient with an automated message in their native language to ensure they understand the details of their next appointment.
Another advantage? RingMe also facilitates communication in between appointments, providing a way for patients to reschedule or cancel appointments and share limited practical information. The aim is to ensure that more patients are well-prepared for their doctor visits this way.
What sets RingMe apart?
RingMe is inspired by existing chatbots that prepare patients for consults, a significant advancement for those facing language barriers. However, these typically require a computer or smartphone and digital skills. RingMe builds on this concept by focusing on non-native speakers with limited digital proficiency. For this voice bot, all you need is a phone.
The brain behind RingMe
- Henk Maes: Head of Patient Support Services AZ Sint-Lucas
- William Declerck: Bingli, a multilingual chatbot to prepare for doctor visits
- Lucie Van de Looverbosch: Healthcare Technologist
- Youri Alen: Occupational Therapy Student
Youri: “Having lived in Hungary, I understand the challenge of contacting a doctor in a foreign language. A doctor’s visit is an intimate thing, and you don’t easily bring someone along to interpret. RingMe would lower that barrier.”
Lucie: "What Comon and I share? Launching an ambitious innovation process with a motivated team in a short time, aiming to contribute to health literacy for the citizens of Ghent.”
How Did RingMe come into existence?
Around 50 students from various disciplines and institutions in Ghent participated in the Make-a-ton, developing innovative solutions to make healthcare more understandable to all Ghentians. Initially called 'Ringli,' RingMe emerged from this marathon.
Youri: “The Make-a-ton was exciting. How do you start such a project? How do you know if you're on the right track? Luckily, we received professional support from experts. Our mentor, Ben, acted as a critical referee, challenging us to step outside our perspective and flip ideas upside down."
During one of Comon’s Microlabs, a diverse team of Ghent-based innovators further shaped, tested, and developed the RingMe concept into a working prototype. This took place during a five-day design sprint, diving into design thinking, rapid prototyping and testing.
Tested by non-native patients
A quick test version of the RingMe concept was created during a design sprint that several non-native patients got to test at AZ Sint-Lucas with the support of intercultural mediators. Their feedback was then incorporated into the first "real" version of RingMe.
A Microlab, what's that?
Comon, that's experimenting and bringing people together. Exactly what we do during the Microlabs. In these labs, a diverse team of inventors get to work to further shape an innovative idea and test it out into a real functioning prototype.
