Guiding patients with pain management techniques by building a healthcare educational app
HealSmart is a digital application that seeks to educate patients about the risks and benefits of using opioids after surgeries. The app also introduces new and innovative tools to help patients manage their pain and recovery more effectively.
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Responsibilities :
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Industry :
The Problem
Patients seek a platform with educational resources and tools, to navigate their pain management and recovery journey independently and without opioid reliance.
The Solution
Create a mobile app designed to guide patients through their surgical journey, featuring pre-surgical and post-surgical guidance, and a pain management toolkit with educational resources and interactive activities to reduce opioid reliance
Outcome
45+
new reusable UI components created
20%
expected opioid dependency reduction
3+
years of client vision came to life
Process Overview ( 60 % Research + 40 % Design )
Exploratory Research Overview
Why Exploratory Research ?
​To better understand the scope of the Heal smart app, initially, we set up a meeting with the stakeholders. Followed by, exploratory research along with In-depth interviews with Doctor's and Patient's.​
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We Conducted
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Stakeholder Interviews : To help us understand client vision, technical constraints, information architecture of the app and their inspiration behind building the mobile app.​
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Doctor Interviews : To gain expert understanding of the complex topic, we conducted doctor interviews to see what kind of information they give to patients regarding pain managements and opioids .​
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Patient Interviews : To uncover problems faced by patients (primary users) and understand the type of support they need before and after their surgery and recovery journey
Insights Gathered From Exploratory Research
Design Principles
Personalization
Engagement
Accessibility
Data Privacy and Security
Stigma Reduction
Information Architecture
Based on the client's pre- and post-surgical scripts, we developed the initial Information Architecture. While the client originally envisioned the toolkit within the Heal Smart Program section, tree testing revealed that a dedicated navigation bar for the 'Comfort Care Kit' aligned better with users' mental models. Utilizing this refined IA, we created wireframes for the homepage, Heal Smart Program Main Page (including pre-surgical and post-surgical sections), Comfort Care, and My Profile.
Wireframes with Feedback from Evaluative research
Following the creation of wireframes from the finalized Information Architecture, we conducted thorough reviews with both experts and client stakeholders. The feedback received confirmed alignment with the client's vision and expectations. Based on these insights and internal discussions, we implemented key improvements, including refining UX writing and standardizing UI elements, such as adopting a universally recognized 1-10 pain level scale.
After having a design-decision meeting with our client, we made some important changes to the wireframes.
Key Flow 1 - Post Surgical
Patient Check In
A tool for patients to track and report their pain levels and emotional state after surgery.
Goal Setting Exercise
A goal-setting interface will help patients apply surgical module learnings to long-term recovery. It provides tools to set realistic goals, ensuring motivation and consistency.
Key Flow 2 - Comfort Care Kit
Medication Reminder
This feature helps patients keep track of their prescribed medications and dosages aptly.
Key Flow 3 - Comfort Care Kit
Gratitude Journal
A Gratitude Journal tool supports patients' mental well-being by helping patients keep a positive attitude through journaling.
Extra-
AI Chatbot
Along with this app, I also developed a concept chat bot for HealSmart. The bot is called Amina. The bot helps patients set their medication reminders, access educational resources about their surgery and guides them through pain management activities. The bot will be a GUI + VUI product since it is related to an healthcare app, thinking about the accessibility on Mobile devices.
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Key Takeaways
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What I learned from this experience is that it is very crucial to have thorough knowledge about the topic that you're designing for especially if it involves sensitive information related to healthcare.​
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As a designer, you are ethically responsible for the user's privacy and providing correct information to the user should be a designer's utmost priority.
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Client collaboration provides essential insights, and through proactive expectation management, we must ensure impactful designs are made that perfectly align with their vision.
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