Creating empathy in healthcare

healthcare   accessible design
This case study reimagines work developed under a prior NDA. The strategic thinking, wireframe and visual designs are my own. All visual elements have been redesigned to eliminate any identifiable connections to the original client.

my role

Lead UX Designer

additional roles

One UX Researcher, one Project Manager, two engineers
goal
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The goal was to reimagine an outdated website originally built to support patients receiving at-home infusion therapy. The legacy experience lacked clarity, empathy, and structure—failing to meet the informational and emotional needs of users managing complex treatments at home.

solution
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To better support patients and caregivers, I introduced an interactive body map that guided users to relevant content based on treatment location, medication, and device, delivering all critical information on a single, personalized page.

discovery phase

Due to the sensitive nature of the project, direct interviews with patients and caregivers were not permitted.

Instead, I conducted interviews with company staff and nurses who work closely with them.
These conversations revealed the emotional landscape surrounding at-home infusion therapy.

Feelings of fear, uncertainty, overwhelm, and isolation were common themes.
Screenshot of the RetroMined homepage, showcasing a digital collection of magazine and advertising ephemera. The page opens with a bold tagline: 'From cover to cover, a collection of magazine and advertising ephemera,' set above a bright, modern living room with vintage magazine covers displayed on the wall.
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This is a title
Scared. This is real, and I’m not trained for it. I suddenly felt responsible for something that felt way beyond my abilities, and there wasn’t time to ease into it.
Caregiver response when asked for their initial reaction to becoming a caregiver
This insight informed a solution that not only provided a more thoughtful, user-centered experience while still meeting the client’s original objectives.

guiding them

The solution was an interactive "body map" that allowed users to visually select the treatment area, followed by their medication and device. This simple three-step interaction generated a personalized page with all relevant how-to videos, documentation, and safety content, eliminating the need to search and making critical information immediately accessible.
Flowchart with "Patient/Caregiver" linking to Resource Center, Patient Stories, Programs & Services, Contact Us.
In the client’s original ask, users would need to navigate multiple pages and interpret complex medical terms to find the information they needed.

This approach assumed a high level of familiarity with medical terminology, treatment specifics, and the website’s structure; an unrealistic expectation during moments of stress or urgency.
Flowchart: Patient/Caregiver → Body Map → Patient Content → links to Resource Center, Stories, Programs, Contact Us.
The reimagined user journey better supported patients and caregivers by bringing content to them via the interactive body map.

This approach reduced cognitive load, minimized frustration, and helped users feel more confident and supported during critical moments.
Three-step interface: select location, medication, pump; then view personalized treatment resources screen.
Three-step form to guide infusion therapy setup by selecting therapy type, catheter type, and infusion method.
Three-step form guiding tube feeding setup by selecting tube type, connection type, and feeding method.
Personalized therapy guide with selected content tiles, feeding info, tips, and expandable safety guidance.
The resulting "My Therapy Guide" aggregated all of the content specific to their exact treatment. This included how-to videos, case studies, articles, general information on symptoms, and contact information.

design

While I wasn't responsible for the visual design during the actual project, the visuals shown here reflect how I’ve reimagined the experience in my own design style for the purposes of this case study.
Playable (thumbnail images designed with midjourney)
Personalized therapy guide with videos, articles, and safety tips for tube feeding using G-tube, ENFit, and syringe method.
Scrollable (thumbnail images designed with midjourney)