ERbuddy : Senior Care, Simplified
CASE STUDY | HEALTHCARE
OVERVIEW
ERbuddy is a healthcare startup based in New York City that offers personalized healthcare management for seniors and their caregivers through an integrated smart pillbox technology.
SCOPE
Product Design
Visual Design
User Research
Website Design
ROLE
Product Design Manager
Full-time role at ERBuddy Inc.
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YEAR
2022-2024
THE PROBLEM
Seniors with chronic illnesses struggle with medication adherence, and require more effective ways to manage their medication.
The medication adherence rate among seniors with chronic illnesses is below 50%, leading to $100-$300 billion in preventable healthcare costs and 125,000 annual deaths (WHO, CDC).
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Beyond medication management, seniors and their caregivers face additional challenges with accessing urgent care due to fragmented and incomplete medical records.
14% Patients (6+ comorbid conditions) = 46% of Annual Medicare Spending
U.S 65+ population projected to grow from 14% (2012) to 20% (2030)
Total 65+ Population in 2015 was
50M (US) and 617M Globally
Source: World Bank, CMS
How might we create a simple, personalized solution to improve medication adherence for seniors, help caregivers manage schedules, and ensure better access to urgent care by addressing fragmented medical records?
CONTEXT & RESEARCH
Transition of Care Workflow for Non-Scheduled Procedure
Flowchart illustrating the steps involved in patient care transitions within existing medical structures.
Critical
Data Transfer: Patient Profile, Insurance Details, Prior History
Registration
Admission, Discharge or Transfer
ER
Health Episode
If Severe
Non-Critical
Urgent Care Center
(If mild)
Data Transfer: Patient Profile, Insurance Details, Prior History
Registration
Treatment or Discharge
Patients as gatekeepers of future health
Release Records to Patients
Specialists
Specialists
PCP
Healthcare at Home or Nursing Home
Patients are custodians of their own care and medical records from here on
Major Stakeholders in Healthcare
TARGET AUDIENCE
Persona 1: Senior Patient (User)
Name
Helen Carter
Occupation
Retired teacher
Location
New York City
Living Situation
Lives alone, daughter lives in another state
Health Status
Chronic hypertension, Diabetes
Tech Savviness
Moderate, uses a smartphone for basic tasks
Goals
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To better manage her medication schedule without confusion
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To have easy access to her health information in case of an emergency
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To feel supported and connected to her healthcare providers and family
Pain Points
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Struggles with remembering to take medication on time
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Has difficulty keeping track of her medication history and doctor's advice
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Is concerned about emergency situations where she can't communicate her health status quickly
Needs
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A simple, user-friendly system for tracking medication
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Timely reminders for medications and health check-ups
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Easy-to-access personal health records to share with her doctor or in case of an emergency
"I just want something that will help me stay on top of my health without too much hassle."
Persona 2: Caregiver
Name
John Miller
Occupation
Software Developer
Location
New York City
Living Situation
Lives with wife and kid; cares for his elderly father
Health Status
Healthy, but has a high-stress job
Tech Savviness
High, frequent use of tech for work and personal life
Goals
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To ensure his father's medication schedule is being followed
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To stay informed about any missed doses or health emergencies in real-time
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To manage his father’s health records efficiently for easy access during doctor visits
Pain Points
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Can't always be physically present to remind his father about medication
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Often feels uncertain if his father is following his health plan correctly
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Finds it hard to keep track of all his father's medical appointments and health data
Needs
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A centralized system to monitor his father's medication adherence
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Notifications and alerts about missed doses or emergencies
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Secure access to his father's health records and medical history
"I need a way to make sure my dad’s health is being managed properly, even when I’m not around."
GOALS & OBJECTIVES
To empower seniors and caregivers with an easy-to-use, integrated solution that enhances medication adherence, improves access to urgent care, and addresses fragmented medical records for better health outcomes.
ERbuddy will introduce a digital health app alongside a smart pillbox solution to address medication non-adherence in seniors.
Its user-centric approach will simplify healthcare, empower users, and enhance overall healthcare management, serving as a gateway to improved well-being for seniors and their caregivers.
Core objectives the digital solution must fulfill:
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Pill Reminder System: Sends timely medication alerts.
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Alerts for Caregivers: Notifies caregivers of missed doses.
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Secure Medical Records: Ensures safe and accessible health data.
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Health and Wellness: Supports overall well-being management.
Pill Reminder System
Audio and visual alerts are designed to assist in locating the specific pills that need to be taken.
Alerts for Caregivers
Family and caregivers of the patient are notified if a crucial medication dosage has been missed.
Secure Medical Records
Store all of your medical records securely in one place for easy access in case of an emergency.
Health & Wellness
A monthly newsletter to explore articles and access authenticated health and wellness information.
ERbuddy Smart Pillbox Attributes & Features
The pillbox and app ensure secure medication management and real-time communication between seniors, caregivers, and healthcare providers
End-to-end Encryption
Designed and manufactured in the USA, ensuring HIPAA and GDPR compliance for user privacy and data security.
Reminder System
Audio and visual reminders to assist users in locating the pills that need to be taken.
Pill Identification
Pill descriptions displayed on screen with soft push buttons for easy navigation through the menu.
Health History Storage
Secure storage of medication and personal health history on the pillbox, accessible for sharing with healthcare providers during emergencies.
Alerts
Notifications sent to family and caregivers if a medication dosage is missed.
Accessibility
User-friendly design accessible via both the web app and mobile app.
What are we looking to create?
A Personalized Healthcare Management Hub
The digital solution must enable communication and data interoperability between the user, caregiver for routine updates, ER personnel during emergencies, and the primary care physician during routine visits.
Caregivers
ER/Paramedics
Primary Care Physician
Medication schedule management to avoid emergency episodes
Quick and secure access to personal health information digitally
Two-way transfer of medical notes and medication adherence reports
The goal is to empower seniors and caregivers with seamless support, enhancing independence, confidence, and overall health outcomes.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
As the Product Design Manager for ERbuddy, I was responsible for designing and building a digital health-tech product to solve our identified design problem:
How might we create a simple, personalized solution to improve medication adherence for seniors, help caregivers manage schedules, and ensure better access to urgent care by addressing fragmented medical records?
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After researching statistics on seniors with comorbidities, analyzing stakeholders in senior care at both micro and macro levels, and developing user personas to understand our target audience's goals and needs, I crafted a comprehensive list of app requirements essential for delivering ERbuddy's 360° care.
I then designed an information architecture flow outlining the app’s key sections and sub-sections:
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ERbuddy Homepage Components
Personalized Greeting with the User's Name
Enclosed Profiles: Basic Info, Health Stats, and Medical History
Medical Data Vault: Prescriptions, Diagnostic Reports, and Doctor Summaries
Important Contacts: Pharmacies, Doctors, Synced and Custom Contacts
Bottom Navigation Bar Quick for Access to Key Sections from Any Screen.
Hamburger Menu: Settings, Privacy, and Language Options
Reminders Overview: View Today’s and Upcoming Reminders
Medication Tracker: List of Medications with Add/Edit Options
Calendar: Schedule Appointments and Refill Reminders
Today's Reminders: Checklist to Mark as Taken Here or with Push Notification Alerts
Timed Medication Reminders: Disabled Until Scheduled Time
How Does ERbuddy Work?
VISUAL DESIGN
I designed the new logo for ERbuddy Inc. While medical brands often use green or generic iconography, I chose a distinct color palette to make ERbuddy’s logo stand out. This aligned with the founders' vision of positioning ERbuddy not as hospital care but as a healthcare management solution.
The deliberate use of 'digital blue' reflects the tech-driven nature of ERbuddy's digital solution, while the logo's design—a combination of a heart and pill—symbolizes care as the startup's foundation.
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DESIGN SYSTEM
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DESIGN SOLUTION
Design is an iterative process. After launching the beta version (v1) of ERbuddy in 2023, I gathered user feedback and redesigned the initial screens to enhance the user experience in 2024 (v2).
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Key changes included adding essential features to the home screen and navbar for improved accessibility, along with redesigning the overall UI to enhance clarity and functionality.
v1 (2023)
v2 (2024)
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USER FLOW: ONBOARDING
USER FLOW: ADDING A NEW MEDICATION
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X
WEBSITE DESIGN
The ERbuddy informational website is now live, featuring these newly designed web sections. Visit myerbuddy.com to view.
Recent Key Developments (2024)
TEFCA
Epic and other organizations are collaborating with the federal government to establish the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), which will allow patients to access their health information through apps that interface with Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
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Crowdstrike, AT&T and Change Healthcare Security Incidents
Recent security incidents with centralized data systems have prompted us to reconsider the need for cloud backups, as opposed to storing data locally on devices like smartphones or the pillbox, particularly when emergency access for users is critical.
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NIA Feedback
Feedback from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) grant application reviewer emphasized focusing on the Care Management platform, suggesting that the physical device be a separate focus for a future project.
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REFLECTIONS & KEY LEARNINGS
Designing the UX and UI for ERbuddy was a meaningful challenge, particularly as I’ve seen firsthand how senior care impacts quality of life. Working with a talented team allowed me to deepen my design, research, and strategy skills.
Here are some key takeaways:
Product Design is a Work in Progress
While the goal is to deliver an MVP, product design is always evolving through incremental improvements.
UXD is Vast
There’s always more to learn, read and design. The more I worked, the more I discovered, which inspired me to pursue a master's in this field at Pratt.
Value for All
We received feedback from a wide range of users, and while ERbuddy targets seniors, the health record system and reminders can benefit everyone.
911 Health Summary
We found a new way to transmit critical health info in emergencies. Future versions will include a health summary card for emergency personnel.
Accessible UI & Design Systems
There’s room to improve the UI and meet accessibility standards for healthcare apps.
Usability Testing & Fringe Cases
Usability testing with target users helped us address issues and consider fringe cases, like injectable medications. Overall feedback systems for the UX need to be improved.
HIPAA Compliance
Collaboration with tech developers was key to ensuring HIPAA compliance and secure patient data management.
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I hope ERbuddy evolves into a product that truly transforms the way senior care is managed and used, ultimately improving lives across different demographics.
