Personalised Digital Health Assistant
The Challenge
This project was made while studying Interaction Design at the Estonian Academy of Arts.
Brief: We were challenged by one of the biggest pharmacy retailers in Estonia to design an innovative service or app that would enhance their brand and bring value to their customers. The project was part of an intensive 9-day workshop.
Team members: Danae Asteriadi, Karmen Vikat, Marleen Helimets
Mentors: Nesli Hazal Akbulut, Välek Egle Vesk
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The Process
We began by researching the current and future trends in healthcare and pharmacies and decided to focus on healthcare in rural areas. We wanted to help the brand reach out to a large part of the population that doesn’t live in a big city and doesn’t have easy access to healthcare and pharmacies.
I did extensive desktop research on healthcare in rural and remote areas. During this research, I found an article from the World Health Organization explaining how the International Space Station dealt with medical emergencies. This was a big inspiration for the solution.
While I researched, my team interviewed 9 people from our target group. We learned that awareness, time and distance are the main problems they deal with when it comes to healthcare.
We came up with various solutions that addressed the problems of awareness, time and distance. Through sketching, prototyping, and feedback from our mentors, company representatives and classmates, we decided and developed our final concept: a personalised digital health assistant.
The Solution
We designed a digital first aid kit that is customised to the needs of the user. We decided to focus on three parts of the kit: the look and feel of the product, how the user would learn about the kit and how to obtain it, and the function of the app. My main focus was the creation of the app.
The customer would contact the pharmacy and the pharmacist would add to the kit all medicine and supplies needed for the customer’s health issues. The kit has a tablet which is also customisable to address the customer’s health issues. The tablet uses e-paper technology to ensure readability in any lighting condition, low power consumption and not distract the user with colour making it easier to follow instructions during a medical emergency.
Through the first aid kit the users can:
- Receive visual cues (colour) when it is time to take a pill. The kit lights up and through a pill dispenser the user can take their medication easily and timely. The kit lights up in different colours for different users.
- Use the tablet to address medical emergencies or processes related to their personal health issues (e.g. people who have just got diabetes can learn how to take their blood sugar test).
- Have all the medical supplies they need in one place and restock easily when needed.
- Have easy and fast access to the supplies. The first aid kit is designed in a way that does not resemble a first aid kit and looks like a decorative element. It is discrete and can be kept in the main room, instead of hiding it away like people normally do with first aid kits.
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Through the first aid app the users can:
- Receive visual and voice instructions regarding a personal medical emergency (e.g. diabetic shock) or general first aid instructions (e.g. CPR). The app is personalised to include educational emergency modules for the user’s health problem as well as general emergencies which are the same for every user
- Keep track of data related to personal health issues (e.g. blood glucose levels) and share that data with their doctor
- Keep journals (e.g. dietary, physical, emotional)
- Get information about their health issues
- Set the users, medical issues, pill reminders
- Call 112
- Order supplies to restock the kit
- Request a new feature that fits their personal needs
With our concept, we are proposing a way to help people in remote areas (or even in the city) deal with medical emergencies, obtain information about their health issues, and keep track of their health.