CareLoop
CareLoop
Reimagining The Emergency Room
Waiting Experience
Reimagining The Emergency Room
Waiting Experience
Time
Time
Time
Mar 2025 – Jun 2025
Mar 2025 – Jun 2025
Mar 2025 – Jun 2025
Role
Role
Role
UX Designer
UX Designer
UX Designer
Team Size
Team Size
Team Size
Team of 5
Team of 5
Team of 5
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction
CareLoop is a patient-centered digital experience designed to improve the emotional and cognitive experience of waiting in the emergency room. The system helps patients feel informed, supported, and connected by providing real-time updates and hospital resources throughout their care journey.
CareLoop is a patient-centered digital experience designed to improve the emotional and cognitive experience of waiting in the emergency room. The system helps patients feel informed, supported, and connected by providing real-time updates and hospital resources throughout their care journey.
CareLoop is a patient-centered digital experience designed to improve the emotional and cognitive experience of waiting in the emergency room. The system helps patients feel informed, supported, and connected by providing real-time updates and hospital resources throughout their care journey.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
User research, journey mapping, interface design, and prototyping.
User research, journey mapping, interface design, and prototyping.
User research, journey mapping, interface design, and prototyping.
The Objective
The Objective
The Objective
To design a web-based system that reduces uncertainty for ER patients by increasing transparency and emotional reassurance.
To design a web-based system that reduces uncertainty for ER patients by increasing transparency and emotional reassurance.
To design a web-based system that reduces uncertainty for ER patients by increasing transparency and emotional reassurance.
The Outcome
The Outcome
The Outcome
A functional prototype that received strong positive feedback from both medical staff and the class, validating its potential for implementation in ER and urgent care environments.
A functional prototype that received strong positive feedback from both medical staff and the class, validating its potential for implementation in ER and urgent care environments.
A functional prototype that received strong positive feedback from both medical staff and the class, validating its potential for implementation in ER and urgent care environments.
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
How Might We Help ER Patients Feel Informed And Supported While Waiting?
How Might We Help ER Patients Feel Informed And Supported While Waiting?
How Might We Help ER Patients Feel Informed And Supported While Waiting?
Patients in emergency rooms often face long, uncertain waiting periods with little communication. They don’t know how long the wait will be, what’s happening next, or who will treat them.
This lack of transparency leads to confusion, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.
This lack of transparency leads to confusion, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.
This lack of transparency leads to confusion, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.
GOAL
GOAL
GOAL
Design A System That Brings Clarity To The ER Waiting Experience
Design A System That Brings Clarity To The ER Waiting Experience
Design A System That Brings Clarity To The ER Waiting Experience
To design a simple, accessible system that provides real-time care updates, builds patient confidence, and fosters connection between patients, families, and providers.
To design a simple, accessible system that provides real-time care updates, builds patient confidence, and fosters connection between patients, families, and providers.
To design a simple, accessible system that provides real-time care updates, builds patient confidence, and fosters connection between patients, families, and providers.
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Metaphorical Design
Metaphorical Design
Metaphorical Design
During ideation, our team asked, “What if waiting in the ER felt like ordering an Uber?”, where patients know:
During ideation, our team asked, “What if waiting in the ER felt like ordering an Uber?”, where patients know:
During ideation, our team asked, “What if waiting in the ER felt like ordering an Uber?”, where patients know:
Real-Time Guidance
Personalized Provider Bios
Grounded in Behavioral Design
Touchpoints that Empower
Real-Time Guidance
Personalized Provider Bios
Grounded in Behavioral Design
Touchpoints that Empower
Real-Time Guidance
Personalized Provider Bios
Grounded in Behavioral Design
Touchpoints that Empower
Customer Journey Map: Before
Customer Journey Map: Before
Customer Journey Map: Before
We mapped Michelle’s journey through the ER to identify moments of frustration, confusion, and emotional stress. The Before journey revealed major pain points:
We mapped Michelle’s journey through the ER to identify moments of frustration, confusion, and emotional stress. The Before journey revealed major pain points:
We mapped Michelle’s journey through the ER to identify moments of frustration, confusion, and emotional stress. The Before journey revealed major pain points:
Unclear wait timesWeapons
Repetitive information requests
Lack of communication between patients and staff
Unclear wait timesWeapons
Repetitive information requests
Lack of communication between patients and staff
Unclear wait timesWeapons
Repetitive information requests
Lack of communication between patients and staff
Customer Journey Map: After
Customer Journey Map: After
Customer Journey Map: After
After introducing CareLoop, the After journey showed clear improvements. Patients received real-time updates, saw their care progress visually, and felt more in control of their experience.
The redesigned flow transformed the waiting period from anxious uncertainty to a guided and informed process.
The redesigned flow transformed the waiting period from anxious uncertainty to a guided and informed process.
The redesigned flow transformed the waiting period from anxious uncertainty to a guided and informed process.
Emotional Impact
Emotional Impact
Emotional Impact
Psychological Needs Met (Hassenzahl, 2010):
Psychological Needs Met (Hassenzahl, 2010):
Psychological Needs Met (Hassenzahl, 2010):
Autonomy: Real-time updates give patients a sense of control and confidence in what’s happening.
Competence: Clear information helps patients understand next steps and manage expectations.
Relatedness: Provider bios and family notifications create a sense of connection and empathy.
Autonomy: Real-time updates give patients a sense of control and confidence in what’s happening.
Competence: Clear information helps patients understand next steps and manage expectations.
Relatedness: Provider bios and family notifications create a sense of connection and empathy.
Autonomy: Real-time updates give patients a sense of control and confidence in what’s happening.
Competence: Clear information helps patients understand next steps and manage expectations.
Relatedness: Provider bios and family notifications create a sense of connection and empathy.
Experiencing Self: Patients feel calm and in control. They receive updates, know what to expect, and feel seen.
Experiencing Self: Patients feel calm and in control. They receive updates, know what to expect, and feel seen.
Experiencing Self: Patients feel calm and in control. They receive updates, know what to expect, and feel seen.
Remembering Self: They remember feeling respected and cared for, not just waiting.
Remembering Self: They remember feeling respected and cared for, not just waiting.
Remembering Self: They remember feeling respected and cared for, not just waiting.
DESIGN
DESIGN
DESIGN
User Interface Design
User Interface Design
User Interface Design
Onboarding Flow
Onboarding Flow
Onboarding Flow
QR-code entry point at check-in for fast access
Multi-language support for accessibility
Privacy-conscious onboarding with clear terms & policy
Family & Friend Notifications
Family & Friend Notifications
Family & Friend Notifications
Option to include trusted contacts to receive care updates.
Helps reduce stress by keeping the family informed in real time.
Ideal for older or high-needs patients who rely on caregivers.
Care Dashboard
Care Dashboard
Care Dashboard
Live wait time updates tailored to time of the day cycle.
Step-by-step progress bar.
Clear explanations of each stage to reduce confusion and anxiety.
Meet your care team feature to build trust and familiarity.
Quick access to hospital resources.
Real-Time Notification
Real-Time Notification
Real-Time Notification
Personalized real-time alerts for room changes and status updates.
Minimizes unnecessary back-and-forth between patients and staff.
DOCTOR & PATIENT FEEDBACK
DOCTOR & PATIENT FEEDBACK
DOCTOR & PATIENT FEEDBACK
Designing For Empathy Without Adding Burden
Designing For Empathy Without Adding Burden
Designing For Empathy Without Adding Burden
The concept has been well-received by both the doctors and patients we connected with. The staff bio section was highlighted specifically as a positive by many of the respondents. Based on provider feedback, this has strong potential to do well in Urgent Care settings, potentially better there.
The concept has been well-received by both the doctors and patients we connected with. The staff bio section was highlighted specifically as a positive by many of the respondents. Based on provider feedback, this has strong potential to do well in Urgent Care settings, potentially better there.
The concept has been well-received by both the doctors and patients we connected with. The staff bio section was highlighted specifically as a positive by many of the respondents. Based on provider feedback, this has strong potential to do well in Urgent Care settings, potentially better there.
After receiving the feedback, we aimed to refine data integration and explore ways to make the system adaptable across different hospital settings in the future.
After receiving the feedback, we aimed to refine data integration and explore ways to make the system adaptable across different hospital settings in the future.
After receiving the feedback, we aimed to refine data integration and explore ways to make the system adaptable across different hospital settings in the future.
LESSONS LEARNED
LESSONS LEARNED
LESSONS LEARNED
Designing Experiences
Designing Experiences
Designing Experiences
This project reminded me that good experience design goes beyond creating usable interfaces; it’s about understanding how people feel in the moment and what they will remember. By going through the process to design their experience rather than creating a product, I learned to focus on emotions, autonomy, trust, and connection as core outcomes.
This project reminded me that good experience design goes beyond creating usable interfaces; it’s about understanding how people feel in the moment and what they will remember. By going through the process to design their experience rather than creating a product, I learned to focus on emotions, autonomy, trust, and connection as core outcomes.
This project reminded me that good experience design goes beyond creating usable interfaces; it’s about understanding how people feel in the moment and what they will remember. By going through the process to design their experience rather than creating a product, I learned to focus on emotions, autonomy, trust, and connection as core outcomes.
Skyler's Portfolio
Skyler's Portfolio
Skyler's Portfolio