Exploring patient-centeredness ecosystems: a collaborative approach to expand the service design horizon

The healthcare sector is one of the areas in which service design can make an important contribution. This paper presents the ongoing results of joint research between Politecnico di Milano and Northeastern University, which aims to investigate patient-centered solutions and processes through a systemic perspective. In particular, the article proposes a study on the definitional evolution of the term patient-centeredness and a methodological approach to investigate patient-centricity through different levels that include solutions, the system of actors involved, and the role of patients. 6 exemplary cases from Italy and the USA are introduced to convey the complexity of the solutions and the related system, as well as the similarities and differences between the two contexts. The paper concludes by outlining the subsequent developments of the research, together with the criticalities that emerged, contributing to the ongoing debate on the transformative role of service design in complex service systems.