Skin cancer patients often face challenges managing wound care on their own after MOHS surgery, frequently experiencing anxiety or uncertainty when unexpected issues arise. To enhance their healing experience, I collaborated with the Advanced Wound Care Center at University Hospitals for my MHCI Capstone project and developed a comprehensive solution, including a redesigned instruction sheet and the AI-powered wound care assistant -- Cura App, aimed at improving post-surgical wound care for skin cancer patients.
TIMELINE
Jan 2024 - Aug 2024
(7 Months)
TEAM
5 People + 2 Clients from UHC
RESPONSIBILITY
Field Research | Usability Testing
Design System | Prototyping
Project Management (Agile)
ROLE
Product Designer
Project Manager
Mohs surgery is one of the most common treatments for high-risk skin cancers. It involves cutting away thin layers of skin until there are no signs of cancer left. Following surgery, careful treatment is required to minimize the risk of infection and avoid other problems.
We seek to design a system of solutions to improve the overall experience, not only the healing outcome, for patients-administered wound care by bridging the gap between clinic and home.
Synthesizing our findings, we identified two main patient pain points. These insights led us to develop two key 'How Might We' questions that guided our design process.
We want them to understand that potential complications may arise and prepare them to deal with them. By better preparing them, we aim to reduce anxiety and empower them to more effectively navigate challenges without over-reliance on the providers.
We found that all patients receive the same 4-page instruction sheet, despite their individual wound locations and experiences. This lack of personalization fails to engage patients and encourage them to review the materials thoroughly.
From a PROACTIVE perspective, we aimed to prepare patients for unexpected situations, helping them stay mindful of their healing process. Meanwhile, a REACTIVE solution ensures patients remain calm and develop problem-solving skills without over-relying on their providers when issues arise.
Our goal was to design user-friendly instructions that provide patients with clear, actionable guidance, making it easier to absorb essential information. By enhancing the material's usability, patients are more likely to engage with it and be better prepared for unexpected issues.
In addition to the default 3-page sheet, each patient receives an additional location-specific guidance add-on. This tailored information provides patients with specific precautions based on their wound location, making the materials more personalized to their needs.
During our conversations with patients, we learned that most preferred the paper format of the wound care instructions. However, when we asked them to find specific information during testing, they struggled, revealing that the sheet was difficult to navigate and too wordy. To address this, we kept the paper format but improved the design by reorganizing content, adding visual elements, and creating a clearer information hierarchy.
We tested our redesigned instruction sheet with 10 participants, measuring their time on task and accuracy in finding specific information. For example, we asked questions like: 'What should you avoid doing starting on the 3rd day after your surgery?'
We measured all participant's 'time to task completion' to assess the navigability for our redesigned instruction sheet, asking them to directly locate specific information on the sheet.
We also measured their 'accuracy' in completing tasks to determine whether the redesigned material not only helped them find the information but also understand and apply it effectively.
Our goal with the reactive approach was to develop a solution that effectively bridges the gap between patients and providers, empowering patients to receive immediate support and guidance without being entirely dependent on their healthcare providers.
Cura is a mobile application that provides patients with immediate access to answers and reassurance, helping them stay informed and confident in navigating unexpected problems independently.
Cura's main feature is its AI voice assistant, which provides patients with immediate answers 24/7. Patients can either speak directly with Cura or upload a picture to help AI analyze their situation.
The AI follows up with questions to clarify their situation with imagery or multiple-choice options, ensuring the guidance is tailored to their specific needs.
After the conversation, the system generates a concise and clear call summary for patients to refer to whenever they encounter similar problems.
Personalized wound care information, such as a care calendar and daily dos and don’ts, is displayed on the app’s home page for easy adherence to instructions.
After providing a suggestion, Cura will send follow-up notifications to check the wound status and determine the next steps.
The main issue highlighted during our mid-fi testing was TRUST. Although 34% of participants felt comfortable interacting with AI during testing, none were willing to choose it as a viable solution in real-life situations. To address this , we developed the following strategies to enhance our use of AI:
Another big concern is the accuracy of the AI, including whether it can consistently provide accurate and helpful information and effectively diagnose issues from images. Our goal is not to replace calls to the clinic but to triage less critical problems and direct those that require professional help to the clinic immediately.
We conducted three rounds of testing and iteration with over 40 participants, including patients from University Hospitals of Cleveland and members of a local senior center in Pittsburgh. The final results were promising, highlighting the potential impact and possibilities our Cura app could create in the future.
💪🏼 Dealing with ambiguity
Starting from a vague and broad topic, finding the real problem that needs to be addressed is a crucial first step in any design process. In this project, we faced a lot of ambiguity early on, not only in terms of defining the core pain points but also in understanding how different patients interacted with their wound care journey. It taught me that ambiguity isn’t an obstacle but an opportunity to explore, pivot, and refine ideas until the real issue emerges clearly.
🤝 Empathize with Our Users — They’re Your Closest Friend in the Design Process
Empathy is central to user experience design, and in this project, it was key to our success. I’m deeply grateful to our client for providing us rich opportunities to engage with real patients, doctors, and nurses. Hearing directly from the people affected by the challenges we were trying to solve helped us build a deeper understanding of their pain points, fears, and daily struggles. By immersing ourselves in their experiences, we were able to design solutions that were not just functional but also emotionally resonant.
🧠 Think outside the box
It was important to break the boundaries of conventional thinking and let creativity take the lead. I was encouraged to go beyond the obvious and think of solutions that might seem crazy or impractical at first. By not limiting myself, I was able to come up with innovative concepts that addressed patient needs in fresh and exciting ways. This process reinforced the idea that sometimes the best solutions come from daring to step outside of the comfort zone and think beyond traditional frameworks.
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