Mental models for decision-making in remote healthcare services : A case study

Abstract: Mental models are an important theme within information systems. They show how people understand reality, make decisions and how the information flows in order for them to do so. It is particularly challenging to make such decisions when it comes to determining the health of someone, making it a particularly delicate matter. In that context, this thesis takes BetterDoc as object of study. It is an organization situated in Cologne, Germany, with an increasingly positive record of providing remote healthcare services and allowing patients to have the adequate treatment for their condition. The study was based on the theory of mental models to bring to light the implicit patterns present in making decision in that context. That was done by conducting qualitative interviews with the staff of the organization, across different teams, and synthetizing the findings in a common model that shows points of decision and the supporting information. Those findings are useful for identifying points that need to be structured to provide clarity and understanding, increasing the synergy and transparence of a socio-technical system that can influences the outcomes of healthcare for many people.