Pattern
Patient and Caregiver Labor map
This note gives a before and after map of the unpaid work patients and caregivers do, so it counts in the economic and human result. A workflow improvement that merely exports more work to patients or caregivers than it removes is rejected. Count unpaid calls, forms, portals, travel, record gathering, repeated explanations, and home work around care.
Inputs
A patient journey, direct observation, interviews, timing, contact logs, forms, travel, and caregiver contributions.
Method
Record each unpaid task, time, repetition, failure, delay, cost, digital barrier, and the party whose internal burden it replaced.
Output
A before and after labor map included in the economic and human result.
Boundary
Patient effort can be clinically useful or chosen. The map should not label all participation as burden.
Stop
Reject a workflow improvement that merely exports more work to patients or caregivers than it removes.