Inspiration
LGBTQ patients face extensive discrimination and bias in the healthcare system. Oftentimes medical diagnoses for certain diseases are skewed by this discrimination, patients trust physicians less, and dismissing the concerns of certain groups of patients is common. We aim to address this issue, the disconnect between healthcare providers and respecting how patients want to be perceived.
What it does
Dr. AMA allows users to create their own profile that fits with their social identity and medical needs while providing anonymity and safeguarding against bias. This is accomplished through a customizable avatar option and the freedom to choose the questions to answer and share on the health profile checklist that are more aligned with users’ medical needs. Additionally, users have the option to choose which physician they would like to be treated by from Dr. AMA’s diverse and inclusive registry of inclusivity-trained medical professionals, easing patients’, especially those belonging to minority groups, comfort around physicians and ultimately improving patient-physician interactions. Once a physician has been selected, patients may chat and engage with the doctor without fear of discrimination.
How we built it
First we designed mockups and a schema for the database and API. Then, individual members implemented the frontend (in React) and the backend (using the Firebase SDK) simultaneously.
Challenges we ran into
The live conversation stream for the chatting feature was very difficult to implement in the backend. The structure and hierarchy of documents and collections in the backend was easy to organize but hard to read and write. We solved this after some work though: we communicated between the frontend and backend as to what exactly we needed to complete the minimum viable product. For example, certain constants were decided upon to achieve pagination so that the frontend does not load too many messages.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of how we put barriers against bias and discrimination through constant affirmation and the freedom of choice on our website, such as through the avatar, health profile, and medical provider registry options. We ultimately wanted to make a safe space for patients, especially minority patients, to get the medical attention they need without fear of judgment, and we believe that this app provides that. Technologically, we are proud to have achieved this feat with a polished backend and frontend while still adhering very closely to our original schema in 24 hours.
What we learned
For the frontend, we learned a lot about formatting and layout. It takes a lot of effort to move things into the right place while creating a beautiful coherent appearance. We also learned how to design database schemas to allow ease of maintenance, access, while also mirroring real features and needs.
What's next for DoctorAma
We need to improve integration with patients and care providers. For example, it's important that one doctor is not overwhelmed, or that there is integration with actual care systems (like a hospital or medical provider network). On the technical side, adding more data (e.g. appointments) into the backend schema would provide a more realistic experience.
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