Changing the lives of patients with chronic conditions through behaviour analysis and advanced tracking technologies
Project background
Samsung collaborated with Partners Healthcare in the US to work with physicians on testing new ways of tracking and improving the lives of patients with chronic conditions through remote health tracking and goal setting technologies.
My role
As a Principal UX Engineer, I was responsible for the experience strategy and design of the physician’s interface and the patient’s app. I led the UX work, producing all major deliverables, working alongside a visual designer and a remotely based junior UX designer who focused on the Android app.
Challenge
This ambitious project intended to support patients with a variety of chronic conditions (CHF, Obesity, Diabetes, Hypertension, COPD). The scope was to design a tool for physicians using data and measurements to set alerts, goals and rewards for their patients. However, by attempting to support so many conditions with different measurements, technical challenges increased.
Goals
- A cloud-based web tool for physicians to monitor and set goals, alerts and rewards for their patients
- A mobile app designed to help patients enter their data and keep on track of goals, by following tasks and improving their physical health and wellbeing
- Create a data-set “engine” for each condition to indicate the correct amount of treatment for each patient, based on their condition and abilities
- Help patients meet their goals by using gamification tasks and behavioural changing strategies
Plan
We worked with physicians to map conditions to measurements and alerts. We also wanted to learn from them how they currently work with their patients, and if a new tool will be useful to them or just another thing they need to do.
We interviewed participants remotely to understand how they manage their conditions, which activities they do, and the type of devices they use for measurement (exercise equipment, blood pressure cuff, digital pedometer, weight scale, pulse oximeter).
We took an agile delivery approach and focused on creating an MVP functional mobile app with a minimum set of features.
Physicians we able to set goals on their end and to change the alert levels for each patient as necessary. The system used surveys as a way to get regular patient feedback prior to using technology measurements.
Outcome
Despite very high project objectives and many complexities, the team managed to complete the initial stage of both the physician system and the patient’s app proving that this concept is valid and useful for chronic condition tracking, and in promoting behavioural change with patients.
