GlucoCare was a team project (5 members) for my ‘Advanced Design Methods’ course at the University of Kansas. I was responsible for conducting secondary research, creating wireframes, and developing prototypes. An expert interview with a diabetes physician provided valuable insights into the specific needs of healthcare providers during virtual consultations. GlucoCare enables providers to offer care from the comfort of their own homes while expanding their reach to patients in remote areas or those with disabilities, ensuring more people have access to essential care.
My Role: UI/UX Designer (team project)
Time: 3 months
Tools: Figma, Canva, Illustrator, Photoshop
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the pancreas either doesn't produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels. When diabetes is uncontrolled, it leads to hyperglycemia (elevated blood glucose), which can cause serious long-term damage to various systems in the body, particularly the nerves and blood vessels. Managing diabetes is essential to prevent complications affecting the feet, eyes, kidneys, and other organs.
A few years ago, telemedicine was a foreign concept to many. However, when COVID-19 struck in 2019, it brought about a transformative shift in the healthcare industry. The pandemic accelerated the adoption and awareness of telehealth services globally. The benefits of telemedicine for diabetes management became clear: it improved healthcare access, reduced wait times, enhanced the safety of healthcare providers, and provided greater access to care for individuals with disabilities.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 37.3 million people in the US are living with diabetes. Despite this, many patients struggle to receive quality care due to the challenges physicians face in accessing patient information. During consultations, healthcare providers often have to navigate through multiple tabs to view critical medical reports, such as HBA1C levels and eye, kidney, and foot exam results. Having seamless access to a patient's complete profile and up-to-date test results is essential for delivering effective care. Streamlining this process not only improves the quality of healthcare but also saves valuable time, enabling providers to treat more patients efficiently.
Telemedicine for diabetes management is growing, with studies showing better outcomes, including lower HbA1c levels, compared to traditional care. Diabetes requires frequent physician visits for treatment adjustments and lifestyle advice. Key components of diabetes care include blood glucose monitoring, eye and foot exams, neuropathy detection, and consultations on diet, exercise, and psychology.
An expert interview was conducted with a physician based in Kansas, USA, to better understand diabetes and the challenges physicians face during telemedicine consultations. From the interview, we learned that: Physicians frequently have to switch between multiple tabs to access patient reports, which disrupts the flow of consultations and causes frustration. The absence of a robust electronic medical record (EMR) system makes it difficult for physicians to quickly view a patient’s medical history, HBA1C levels, and diabetes-related health maintenance. Technical glitches often interrupt consultations, forcing physicians to reschedule sessions and impacting the quality of care.
A telemedicine session prototype was created using cardboard to visually represent both the doctor’s and patient’s perspectives. This role-playing exercise helped validate potential challenges doctors encounter during consultations and allowed us to explore possible solutions to improve the experience.
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I took 3 overlapping fields related to telemedicine to identify opportunities for innovation. Three fields taken for convergence map were as follows:
Biotechnology: is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences.
Pharmacy: is the science and art concerned with the preparation and standardization of drugs.
Billing: is an act or instance of preparing or sending out a bill or invoice.
1. Physician being able to see all their patient appointments for the day.
2. Physicians being able to conveniently see patient’s health history during consultation.
3. Physician being able to consult foreign patients through a translation feature.
4. Physicians being able to call for help immediately if they face any technical glitches.
5. Physicians being able to invite nutritionist on call when required.
A/B Test and Semantic Differential Test was conducted using Google Forms to understand user preferences and identify unnecessary features or features that users need but are missing. N = 5 (Total number of test participants)
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Due to time constraints, the project was concluded at this stage, but the design process continues. If extended, I would iterate on the prototypes based on further testing and user feedback until it fully meets user needs. Once finalized, the design would be handed to developers for coding, followed by alpha and beta testing for a seamless user experience. An app like GlucoCare can significantly enhance physicians' ability to treat more patients and improve outcomes. By integrating AI, it provides real-time data and personalized recommendations, streamlining care and improving efficiency. When I presented the prototype to the physician I interviewed, he was pleased to see it addressed all his concerns, validating its potential impact.
