Design thinking for innovation in the health area

Introduction: Society evolves daily, as do companies, markets, and forms of consumption. Companies and people are tasked with creating relevant solutions (innovations) centered on the needs of human beings. A crucial aspect of Design Thinking is that its focus should be on people, that is, a solution that can solve a people problem or be able to create a new experience for people. Objective: To present the principles of DT for use in healthcare innovation. Methods: Design Thinking (DT) is a model of thinking centered on the human being, and is based on three main pillars: Empathy, Collaboration and Experimentation. This innovation development methodology is divided into four different phases: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver. Results: The DT creative process involves users from the beginning and is co-participatory. DT users seek solutions that add and generate value and that can be rapidly tested, validated, and brought to market or used for the user's benefit. DT is widely applicable in the field of Healthcare and to all actions that directly or indirectly involve the prevention and/or treatment of diseases, with the goal of exponentially improving the experiences of healthcare users. Conclusion: Combining this methodology and traditional scientific methodology could improve healthcare innovation, because the main focus is on the individual / patient / customer / service.