JUNTS methodology for the creation of webapps to address barriers in doctor-patient communication: the case of the COMJuntos application in the field of rare diseases

Abstract

The diagnosis or even suspicion of a pediatric rare disease has a great emotional impact on families and highlights the need for them to acquire new knowledge and skills in a short period of time. Families sometimes face cognitive barriers in communicating with healthcare professionals. These barriers hinder the acquisition of knowledge and affect the relationship with the professionals who care for them. The JUNTS methodology for creating health webapps includes specific resources such as ad-hoc dictionaries, as well as a polyphonic vision in which professionals, relatives and patients provide answers to the same questions. This methodology can be adapted to any type of disease or chronic condition and has been developed in collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases (FEDER). In this paper we present the application of the JUNTS methodology applied in the field of rare diseases through the development of the COMJuntos application: a web-app to foster doctor-patient communication, designed to help families who have a child with a rare disease to become competent in communication with healthcare professionals at important stages of care, during diagnosis, medical tests and follow-up.