Cura
Bridging The Gap Between Clinic & At-Home Wound Care
I collaborated with Advanced Wound Care Center of University Hospitals for MHCI Capstone and designed a system of solutions that enhances the post-surgical wound care experience for skin cancer patients.
ROLE
Product Designer
TEAM
2 UX Researchers, 3 Product Designers, 1 Dermatology Surgeon, 1 Senior Project Scientist​
DURATION
Feb - Aug 2024
WHAT I DID
Meeting Facilitation
Exploratory Research
Field Research
Co-Creation Workshop
Metrics Evaluation
Storyboarding
Rapid Prototyping
A/B Testing
Usability Testing
CONTEXT
Every day, 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer.
Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, and its prevalence continues to rise globally. Mohs surgery, a widely used treatment for high-risk skin cancers, offers a precise method to remove cancerous cells while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
PROBLEM
A major reason skin cancer patients end up back in the hospital is surprisingly simple: inadequate post-surgical wound care.
Ineffective Care Material
We found that all patients receive the same 4-page, information-dense instruction sheet, regardless of their wound location or experience. Its lack of personalization, length, and complexity make it difficult to navigate and less engaging for patients.
Inaccessible Care Support
Although the clinic offers care support through phone calls to address patients' questions, this communication method is still limited, as it may not always be accessible, leaving patients unprepared and anxious when unexpected complications arise.
How might we redesign the support ecosystem to deliver personalized care materials that provide immediate, actionable assistance during patients' wound care journey?
SYSTEM OF SOLUTIONS
From preventive to responsive, we wish to deliver a service ecosystem that supports patients throughout their healing journey.
From a preventive perspective, we aimed to equip patients with the tools and knowledge to stay ahead of potential challenges, keeping them engaged in their healing process. A responsive solution focuses on supporting patients when issues arise, helping them remain calm and encouraging their self-sufficiency without over-relying on providers.
Responsive
Preventive
SOLUTION 1
Revamping Care Material To Encourage Active Learning.
We aim to redesign the current instruction sheet, the only care material given to patients, but underutilized due to poor design. Our goal is to transform it into the go-to guide at home, providing clear, actionable guidance that helps patients prepare and avoid confusion before issues arise.
Default Instruction Sheet Redesigned
The default instruction sheet is provided to all patients. The redesigned version is clear, concise, and easy to navigate, featuring condensed and reorganized information and illustrations for better clarity.
Location-Specific Add-On
The location-specific instruction sheet is an additional page tailored to the patient's wound site, supplementing the default 3-page guide.
I led the decision to make the last page feature location-specific precautions, enabling the right level of personalization. This page highlights precautions for specific wound locations, and allows nurses to deliver relevant guidance quickly and effortlessly.
Example Location: Nose
See How Our System Of Solutions Work Together ↓
PROBLEM 01
​The current instruction sheet is wordy and difficult to navigate.
STRATEGY 01
Reorganizing Information
We reorganized and grouped information to enhance usability. By structuring the content more logically, users could find the necessary information quicker and easier.
STRATEGY 02
Image-based Visuals
We added illustrations to assist understanding. Processes like dressing change become more intuitive when explained with visuals rather than just words.
STRATEGY 03
Information Hierarchy
We utilized font variations to establish a visual hierarchy and used color to highlight important pieces of information, as well as a grid system to ensure a structured layout.
IMPACT
Improved both on navigability & information digestion.
Tested with 5 patients from University Hospitals & 5 senior center participants
Current
23%
Decrease For Task Completion Time
Redesigned
Example Tasks
What should you do the 2nd day after surgery?
​​
What should you NOT do from the 3rd day of surgery & onward?
Navigability
We aimed to measure "Task Completion Time" to assess if patients find the redesigned instruction sheet easier to navigate, without having to flip back and forth to find the info that they need. To do this, we created questions with answers directly available on the sheet, requiring no rephrasing.
21%
Increase For
Accuracy
Redesigned
Current
Example Tasks
How much vaseline should you apply to your wound when you are changing the dressing?
What’s the purpose of covering the wound with a non-stick gauze?
Information Digestion
We aimed to measure "Accuracy" to evaluate whether the redesigned instruction sheet improved understandability. To do this, we created questions that require some level of thinking and analysis.
REACTIVE
Cura App: An AI-Driven Wound Care Assistant
To address complex post-surgery issues, we developed a mobile app that provides instant access to digital care materials and helps patients confidently navigate unexpected problems through AI and tailored notifications.
Cura, Your AI Call Assistant
Describe Symptoms Verbally
Or Take A Picture For Analysis
Patients can either speak directly with Cura about their wound situation or upload a picture for Cura to analyze and provide next-step instructions.
Provide Context-Specific Answers
The AI follows up with clarifying questions using imagery and multiple-choice options to ensure that the guidance provided is as accurate as possible.
End With Call Summary
After the conversation, the system generates a concise and clear call summary for patients to refer to whenever they encounter similar problems.
First Line Of Triage, ONLY.
If Cura determines the situation is beyond its scope, it will direct the patient to the clinic immediately without further instructions.
AI Notifications
After providing a suggestion, Cura will send follow-up notifications to check the wound status and determine the next steps.
Daily Check-Ins
Tailored notifications, such as dressing change alerts, help patients better adhere to instructions.
How did I design an inclusive AI for a high stake task?
REFLECTION
Growing as a resilient product designer.
01
Challenge the status quo.
Initially, our team hesitated to use AI due to negative test perceptions. Realizing we were missing opportunities, I suggested users' negativity stemmed from unfamiliarity. By making AI interactions more user-friendly, perceptions improved instantly.
02
Live, and then empathize.
The 1-week empathy study truly opened my eyes to empathizing with users. I realized the hidden psychological aspects behind smooth wound care, which is complicated and tend to be missed from secondary research.
03
Metrics are the key.
During each round of user testing round, we brainstormed both qualitative and quantitative metrics from our research questions. I realized that they were key objective references driving the design process forward.
FUN STUFF
Our Team ✶
