EmpowerU
EmpowerU is a personalized mobile application that provides patients and their caregivers with patient education and care support to improve patient empowerment.
Scope
Problem Framing
Product Strategy
User Experience Design
Learning Content Design
Timeline
Feb. 2022 - Apr. 2022
My Role
Product Design
Instructional Design
Design Strategy
Research
MOTIVATION
This project was inspired by my experience of taking care of my grandparents in the hospital for several months in 2020. That firsthand experience made me realize that there exist many challenges faced by both patients and their caregivers during both hospitalization and home-based aftercare.
On the one hand, physicians and nurses are often too busy to give each patient and their caregivers enough attention and explanations. On the other hand, many patients and caregivers often feel anxious and even scared when dealing with diseases. As a result, patients do not have good care experience, which may reduce clinical effectiveness. In this case, I hope to improve patients' and caregivers' care experience through user-centered design.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
Most Americans do not have positive healthcare experiences. The current provider-centric model of patient care fails to fulfill effective and satisfactory care experience due to structural limitations. Shortage of staffing, high cost, and uneven access to healthcare become the barriers of patient-centered care.
76% Americans
have not had a recent positive healthcare experience
139,000
Physicians
Shortage by 2033
60%
Burnout rates
for physicians by the fourth quarter of 2021
$12,914
Each Year
healthcare cost per person
* Data Sources: Forbs, Association of American Medical Colleges, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
Research shows that better patient care experience are associated with the following aspects:
Better
Patient Safety
Improved
Clinical Outcomes
Health Service Efficiency
Improved Health-related
Business Metrics
WHY A NEW SOLUTION IS NEEDED?
Though different healthcare players initiated practices to enhance patient-centered care, they have not achieved good results --patients' participation and engagement rates are low.
Healthcare Organization
initiated new strategies
Systematic Problems
-Execution obstacles from traditional organizational culture
-Lack of institutional support for clinicians
Disease-specific Programs
provided rehabilitation programs
Systematic Problems
-Patients lack information
-Programs have long time duration (several months)
-Onsite service is not convenient
Information Technology Tools
managed data and information
Systematic Problems
-Dispersive and lack personalization
-Some physicians are not accustomed to using portals to communicate with patients
WHY WORKING DIRECTLY WITH PATIENTS?
In the US healthcare system, there are three main stakeholders -- patients, providers, and payers. From economic perspective, providers' incentives come from compensations other than patience experience. Payers make payment to providers directly. There exists insufficient patient empowerment, which includes patient education (knowledge) and care. In this case, it is feasible to empower patients to engage in their treatment process and improve care experience and quality.
Patients
Providers
Payers
Two physician compensation methods​
​
-
Pay for service: May lead to overuse of medical care
-
Pay for performance: May lead to underuse of medical care
Creating a new solution for patient empowerment
PROJECT OVERVIEW
EmpowerU is a mobile application that provides patients and caregivers with personalized patient education and care support, which enables them to actively engage in treatment to improve life qualities during both hospitalization and home-based aftercare.
Patient Education
Care Support
THE SOLUTION
Personalized Mobile Application
To combat the challenges, a mobile application is designed to provide patients and caregivers with knowledge and support on disease, care strategies, nutrition, and mental health at one place. In addition, the design applies the health belief model to support behavior changes. Furthermore, it generates personalized content to meet patients' various needs by collecting data from personal information, assessment, and doctors' recommendations.
​COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Traditional Electronic Health Record Providers
Currently, most patient engagement products are created by the Electronic Health Record Companies. These companies' main business model is to provide health providers with digital tools. Though the products' target audience are patients, they are mainly designed to support care providers with administrative features. Patients are able to make appointments, check in, visit virtually, access to health data, and make payment here. However, empowering patients to improve their quality of life are far more than the above.
Healthcare Startups
musculoskeletal (MSK) care
home-based care
mental health care
musculoskeletal (MSK) care
women and family care
hormonal health
Many healthcare startups are working to deliver more personalized and integrated care solutions. However, these efforts are often narrowly focused and integrated into provider services, leaving significant gaps in addressing various health conditions. Comprehensive knowledge and support for patients remains a secondary consideration. Over a lifetime, individuals face numerous health challenges—both large and small—so how can we provide a more complete, one-stop system that offers continuous support and comprehensive care for all stages of life?
INITIAL RESEARCH
What is patient empowerment?
Patient empowerment refers to helping patients gain knowledge and acquire self-management skills, enabling them to actively engage in treatment to improve life qualities. It is an approach to guide patient education with a focus on patients, whereby patient-centered care is a necessary component.
Which aspects does empowerment include?
Which patient-centered care principles should we apply?
USER RESEARCH
Observe patients', caregivers', doctors', and nurses' behaviors, interactions, and environments in the hospital and at patients' home; Interviews patients and caregivers' challenges and pain points in terms of patient empowerment.
Field Research and Contextual Inquiry
KEY FINDINGS
01/
Limited awareness of health information and care strategies
02/
Diverse and personalized care needs
03/
Stress and anxiety regarding health
04/
Crucial role of caregiver support
05/
Challenges in making behavior change
Some patients lack awareness of their health information needs, are unsure of what’s most beneficial, and don’t know where to find reliable resources
A need for targeted education and guidance
Patients have unique and varied care requirements
Demand a flexible, individualized approach
The emotional burden of managing health can lead to significant stress and anxiety
Pay attention to patients' mental health which impacts their well-being
Children, old people, and patients with sever illness usually reply on caregivers for essential support in their health journey
Make caregiver involvement a vital aspect of effective care delivery
Knowing what should do is not difficult, however, make behavior change is hard
Require sustained support and encouragement
USER INSIGHTS
Need information and skills
Healthcare and self-management information and knowledge
-
Disease-related knowledge
-
Treatment and care approaches
-
Self-management skills
-
Track body conditions for future reexamine
Need motivation and agency
Motivations to learn knowledge and manage themselves
-
Control of illness
-
Psychological coping
-
Positive understanding and framing
-
Social participation
Need continued support over time
Providing support for behavior change, mental health maintenance, and rehabilitation throughout the care journey. This support includes:
-
Healthcare professionals’ instructions, feedback, and interactions on how to take action
-
Family involvement: encouragement, supervision, and practical assistance
-
Peer and friends’ sharing and encouragement
Need caregivers as partners
-
Treat the patient as an individual
-
Understand the patient’s situations and needs
-
Know how to take care of this person
CHALLENGE
1. What specific knowledge and care strategies should we provide?
2. How to support patients in making behavior changes for long-term care?
3. How to shift from a disease-focused model to a patient-centered approach that meets diverse needs?
​
STRATEGY AND CONCEPT
1. Targeted learning content and care strategies
(1). Mapping essential knowledge
I systematically identified and mapped all necessary knowledge areas by conducting user research and reviewing existing literature to ensure comprehensive coverage.
(2). Developing a unified care strategy framework
Recognizing that care strategies vary across diseases, I analyzed care strategies for common conditions and structured them within a cohesive framework. The process included:
-
Step 1: Gather existing care strategy frameworks from research literature
-
Step 2: Code and integrate these frameworks into a standardized, adaptable model
2. Support patients to make behavior changes
(1). Understand behavior influences
To effectively support behavior change, it’s essential to identify the factors that shape an individual’s actions. According to the Health Belief Model, facilitating understanding of perceived risks and benefits, addressing perceived barriers, and providing cues for action can drive meaningful behavioral shifts.
Health Belief Model
*Data: Becke, M.H. 1974. The health belief model and personal behavior. Health Education Monographs 2: 324-508
(2). Targeting Areas for Sustained Behavior Change and Barrier Mitigation:
Areas like eating habits and physical activity are critical for patients requiring behavior change, as these often involve replacing long-standing routines with healthier alternatives. Using eating habits as an example, it’s not only important to help patients grasp the associated risks and benefits, but also to identify and address specific barriers that may hinder progress. Below are key barriers and strategies for overcoming them.
3. Transform a disease - centered model to a patient-centered model using AI-driven personalization
The diverse and complex needs of patients, coupled with the unique circumstances of their daily lives, underscore the importance of a personalized care approach. This approach is designed to provide both patients and caregivers with relevant, timely information across multiple dimensions of care, promoting better outcomes and adherence.
Key components of this personalized care model include:
-
Multidimensional Support: By addressing various aspects of the care journey, we ensure that each patient receives support tailored to their specific health challenges and lifestyle, resulting in a more holistic care experience.
-
Data-Driven Personalization (See below): Personalized content is generated from a range of trusted sources, including medical input from doctors, personalized care survey responses, lab and test results, and patient-driven exploration. This integration of data sources ensures the information is accurate, individualized, and adaptable.
-
Enhanced Patient and Caregiver Engagement: By providing clear, actionable information tailored to each patient's needs and care context, the design fosters greater engagement and empowers patients and caregivers to make informed decisions.
*Example of data-driven personalization factors
​INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
USER FLOW
DESIGN SOLUTION
HOME PAGE
To offer comprehensive support throughout the patient journey, the homepage is designed to provide easy access to essential resources based on each patient’s knowledge needs and care strategies. Patients can navigate directly to key sections like My Health Information and Health Centers. Additionally, quick-access options for Community, Search, and My Profile/Caregiver Support are available at the bottom of the screen, ensuring continuous support and connectivity.
KNOWLEDGE
MY HEALTH AND KNOWLEDGE CENTER
My Health and Assessment: This feature connects to the patient’s electronic health record and lab results, offering real-time insights. Patients can complete an assessment survey to tailor content to their specific needs, enhancing self-awareness and empowerment.
Knowledge Center: Offers detailed information on conditions, including causes, symptoms, impacts, and care tips, empowering patients to manage their health and make informed decisions.
CARE STRTEGIES
CARE CENTER
The Care Center empowers patients to manage key aspects of their healthcare, including medication, skill-building, and symptom and complication management.
​
-
Medication Plan: Patients receive detailed guidance on medication use, including reminders, therapeutic effects, and safety tips to avoid drug interactions.
-
Care Skills: Personalized skill training, such as rehab exercises and sleep management, supports overall well-being.
-
Care Management: Patients track symptoms with indicators for when to seek help, plus resources for managing complications and ensuring timely intervention.
NUTRITION SUPPORT
NUTRITION CENTER
As different types of patients require tailored regimens, guidance will be personalized according to each patient’s health condition. Using principles from the Health Belief Model, educational videos and articles are provided to help patients understand the perceived risks and benefits of healthy eating. Topics include the health benefits of nutritious foods, the effects of high-fat foods on the body, how to read nutrition labels, and tips for selecting healthy options.
MENTAL SUPPORT
MENATL HEALTH
Providing patients with coping tools and preparatory information is essential for mental health support. Patients are reassured that stress is normal and manageable, with access to practical tips and techniques. They are encouraged to seek further support from external resources and mental health professionals and can connect with others through the community feature for shared support and understanding.
PEERS' AND PROFESSIONALS' SUPPORT
COMMUNITY & SEARCH
Community: A space for patients to ask questions, share experiences, and connect with others on similar journeys, fostering peer support and connection.
​
Search: A tool for finding information and resources. Future updates will add a chatbot for instant answers.
​
User Profile: A personal hub for managing information and settings, ensuring a tailored experience.
CAREGIVER'S SUPPORT
Caregiver support is essential for many patients. This feature provides caregivers with insights into the patient’s routines, preferences, personality, medical history, and specific needs. Time-based task assignments help caregivers manage responsibilities efficiently, ensuring consistent and empathetic care.
FURTHER THOUGHTS