Qualcomm Life, the health and wellness division of Qualcomm, issued a challenge to app designers & developers. Create a rapid prototype of a healthcare application utilizing Qualcomm’s 2net platform, which enables wireless connectivity and reliable solutions to seamlessly capture, transfer and share valuable health data from hospital to home.
How could we leverage this powerful healthcare platform to empower patients and enhance the level of care they can receive while away from the doctor’s office? What are some common issues regarding doctor/patient communications? How can we help patients better adhere to scheduled appointments and medication regiments?
The Strategy
The goal was to design the app with simplicity in mind, recognizing that the healthcare space can often overwhelm patients with a large volume of information. To address this, I focused on four key pain points: prescriptions, vitals, doctor information, and appointments. By presenting these critical aspects of care through clear and straightforward user flows, I aimed to enhance patient engagement and improve adherence to care protocols. Even small improvements in these areas could have a meaningful impact on both patient outcomes and provider efficiency.
To further support ease of use, I plan to incorporate large buttons, legible typography, bright and welcoming colors, and intuitive interfaces, all of which will help patients stay connected and informed.
Services
Prototyping
App development
Art Direction
Branding
Client
Qualcomm
Given the limited direction provided for the contest—primarily that the app should leverage the powerful features of the 2net platform—I was eager to approach the project with a fresh perspective. My initial focus was on creating a simple, intuitive app designed to empower patients in managing their health and wellness. The goal was to facilitate better communication with healthcare providers and improve medication adherence.
Research indicates that optimal therapeutic efficacy requires adherence rates of at least 80%, yet current estimates suggest medication adherence hovers around 50%. Adherence tends to decline over time after the initial prescription is written, or as various barriers arise.
Thus, SALUS, an app named after the Greek goddess of safety and well-being. The app would integrate with the 2net platform to seamlessly sync patient data, doctor appointments, prescriptions, and send timely notifications and reminders to enhance adherence and overall health management.
The goal was to create an app that simplifies the healthcare experience, recognizing how overwhelming it can be for patients to manage the sheer volume of information they receive. To address this challenge, the design focused on four key areas: prescriptions, vitals, doctor information, and appointments. By presenting these critical elements in clear, intuitive flows, the aim was to enhance patient engagement and improve adherence to treatment plans. Even small improvements in these areas can significantly impact both patient outcomes and provider efficiency.
To ensure ease of use, the design emphasized large, easy-to-read buttons, legible typography, and a bright, welcoming color palette. These features were carefully chosen to make the app as approachable and user-friendly as possible, helping patients feel more informed, confident, and connected throughout their healthcare journey.
The initial step involved designing the onboarding and home screens. The secure login page is clean, user-friendly, and offers options for users to create a new account, recover their password, or log in as an existing user. Icons are strategically used to convey the app’s healthcare focus, guiding users to the relevant sections once they’re logged in.
The home screen showcases large, easy-to-read buttons, divided into four key sections, ensuring a simple and streamlined user experience. The footer navigation includes buttons for Settings, Profile, Search, and Device Connection. With a tight 48-hour timeframe for this challenge, the focus was on implementing the app's core features to ensure a solid, functional foundation.
Overview: This section allows the patient to view all current medical prescriptions, which can be added manually or automatically through the 2net platform by the care provider. The prescription overview also notifies both the patient and doctor of any potential medication conflicts.
Details: Patients can easily access information about the dosage, schedule, and number of refills for each prescription. Additionally, medication reminders can be set to help patients remember when it is time to take their medication.
Overview: This section stores key biometric data, including height, weight, blood pressure, vision, glucose levels, and other screening results.
Details: Patients can view detailed information, including a history of their vital signs. Vitals are updated after each doctor visit and can also be updated by the patient at home via their mobile device. Updating vitals is made simple through Bluetooth connectivity, allowing patients to wirelessly sync data from compatible devices such as scales, blood pressure monitors, and glucose meters. Additionally, patients have the option to manually enter their vital data.
Overview: This section provides a convenient list of the patient’s care providers, displaying each practitioner’s name and specialty.
Details: By selecting a care provider from the list, patients can view detailed information about that provider. The app also allows patients to contact their care provider directly via phone or obtain directions to the provider's office.
Overview: This section allows the patient to easily view their appointments in a list or calendar view. Appointments are automatically added by the patient’s care providers through the 2net platform or can be entered manually.
Details: Detailed appointment information, including the date, time, and location, is readily available. Patients can contact their doctor directly from the app or get directions to the appointment. SALUS also syncs with the patient’s mobile calendar to ensure no appointments are missed, and reminder alerts will pop up on the user’s device to keep them on track.
How is this app concept award-winning? Because I won 2nd place in the App Challenge! I was awarded $15,000 and a trip to Washington, DC to present the app to Qualcomm executives and investors.
