Self-Injection Support
How we leveraged machine learning and artificial intelligence to reimagine the future of self-injection and support patients who have to self-inject at home.
Client – AbbVie | Industry – Healthcare, Pharmaceutical
Project Overview
Role
User Research, Workshop Facilitator, User Experience Design, Prototyping, User Interface Design, User Testing
Platform
iOS App
Scope
5 months
About
AbbVie is a pharmaceutical research and development company that has innovative self-injection programs for patients with Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) or Crohn’s and Colitis.
Problem Space
Self-injection - especially with a new device called the On-Body Device System (OBDS) - can be particularly daunting for patients who are already under emotional stress due to their symptoms.
Team
2 designers, 1 PM, 1 developer
Deliverable
1 POC
Project Impact
1 additional POCs, 1 additional print and digital project
Workshops & Discovery
Step 1
Design Sprint
Step 2
Rapid Prototype & User Testing
Step 3
Final Deliverables
Understand the behaviour of a Crohn’s Disease patient with empathy and by identifying pain points.
Concept testing by validating with friends and family who have IBD/Crohn’s.
Design and deliver the POC with unique developer collaboration.
Persona Exploration
Step 1
Design Sprint
Step 2
Rapid Prototype & User Testing
Step 3
Final Deliverables
Understand the behaviour of a Crohn’s Disease patient with empathy and by identifying pain points.
Concept testing by validating with friends and family who have IBD/Crohn’s.
Design and deliver the POC with unique developer collaboration.
Beyond the Workshop - Takeaways
To improve the overall experience of patients who are required to self-administer subcutaneous, bolus injections via an OBDS once every 2 months as a therapy for Gastrointestinal disease (Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis) through a personalized digital solution.
What is so special about an OBDS?
When you think of injections, many tend to think of a syringe or injection pen as the main channel. In recent years, many new devices and channels have been developed, one of those being the On Body Delivery System. This pump sticks onto the patient’s body and delivers the medication slowly through a period of time, to ensure direct absorption into the bloodstream.
Design Principles
Empower through Self-Injection Support
How do we prevent TLS?
We developed an algorithm based on the tumour burden of the patient into three outputs, low, medium or high risk for developing TLS.
Based on the diagnosis, the physician will be able to prescribe different prophylaxis amounts and level of blood chemistry monitoring needed.
Design Principles
Intelligent interactive mirror with GIF overlay and Embedded Augmented Reality for Accurate Placement Support
Smart Mirror
so patients can be immersed in the natural layout they are comfortable with
Surround Sound Experience
Ensure correct placement and intelligently advise patients on their injection
Augmented Reality and Machine Learning
to keep the patients hands-free and walk them through the instructions and provide control of the experience through voice
Voice Control and Assistance
to enable quick, repeated, bite-sized instructions to handhold patients to complete each step of the injection (without having to watch a 10 min video)
GIF Instructional Loops
Multi-sensory Immersive Experience
Design Principles
Bite-Sized Information
Unlike detailed Instructions-for-Use or lengthy training videos, we designed a solution that breaks down the complicated self-injection process into easy-to-follow, bite-sized video loops or gifs that allows the patients to progress at their own comfortable pace.
We re-categorized all the information from the IFU into 4 steps, named Fill, Place, Push and Throw for ease of remembrance.
Design Principles
Cater to Different Lifestyles
Journaling to Improve Mental Health
One of the ways to deal with any overwhelming emotion is to find a healthy way to express yourself. Journaling helps control symptoms and improve mood by:
We designed this feature to help users reflect on parts of their day that made them excited.
Design Principles
Cater to Different Lifestyles
Between the injections that happen once every 2 months, Phoenix engages Alex through easy food-and supplement-tracking and uses this data coupled with those from “Step-on-Me" mat and sleep sensors etc. to generate insights about Alex’s body’s inflammatory response patterns which is key information as Alex struggles with lifestyle changes.
Design Goals
Loo-cator
The Crohn’s & Colitis bathroom card currently exists as a physical artifact.
The “loo-cator” (loo+locator) feature brings peace-of-mind, by not only helping the patient spot the nearest bathroom anytime in case of an emergency, but also enables Crohn’s & Colitis awareness within the local community by displaying local businesses who are participating in the Loo-cator program.
These businesses make their bathrooms quickly accessible to patients who display the digital bathroom access card.
Design Goals
Community Empowerment
The Phoenix community grows to become a big part of Alex’s healing journey and gives him support and confidence through the shared experiences.
User Testing with Patients and Providers
Reducing Anxiety
Interviewees responded well to the level of detail included in the self-injection walkthrough.
The instructions were described as both accurate and reassuring, having the potential to mitigate the significant anxiety that surrounds self-injection.
"[T]he value of this app is, for me, including multiple apps that I already use. So like, I'm already using one that tracks when I should inject and then I have a different one for food, and a different one for like, stress.” (Patient)
“I think that's a big source of anxiety amongst any of the patients doing the self-injections early on...And this [demonstration] went through in great detail…so that there's no anxiety [about] 'what am I doing?'” (Doctor)
"[H]aving all of this actually makes me feel more comfortable, like all this step-by-step [instruction], and it's like right there on the screen." (Patient)
Thank You
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Project property of Cognizant Softvision