Experience Designer & Strategist
Selected Works
NEOMITA Healthcare Monitoring Device
PAWSSISTANT AI Assistant for Pet Wellness
EXPO x TAIWAN Virtual Co-Creation EXPO
Experience Designer & Strategist
Selected Works
NEOMITA Healthcare Monitoring Device
PAWSSISTANT AI Assistant for Pet Wellness
EXPO x TAIWAN Virtual Co-Creation EXPO
Service + Product
Improving Healthcare Outcomes in Africa with At-Home Technology
NeoMita Aims to Minimize Misdiagnosis and Increase Healthcare Accessibility and Affordability for Rural Populations in AfricaDesigns that ignore context often fail to meet user needs.
“We expect affordable, innovative medical technologies for emerging markets.”
-Teresa Cauvel, CTO, Neopenda
Photo Source: Neopenda
- Can be more adjustable and suitable for different age groups and body locations.
- Can be used in hospitals and for spot-checking in primary-level clinics, community-based care, and home-based care.
Here are the
According to a report by the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC), currently, less than half of the African population (48 percent) has access to the healthcare services they need. This is due to challenges such as high costs for healthcare, inadequate infrastructures, and poorly managed health sector resources.
70%
medical equipment sits idle in African health facilities or ends up in equipment graveyards.2 hrs
is the average time patients live in rural areas commute to general hospitals.43%
of deaths in Africa coming from Non-communicable diseases 52%
African population do not have access to the healthcare services they needAs a result, local pharmacies become first entry point for most of the
population.
We examined prevalent illnesses in Africa and interviewed students from Ghana and Nigeria to understand their perspectives on healthcare experiences in their countries. Due to the long distances from home to hospitals, high out-of-pocket charges from hospitals and doctors, as well as medical resource shortages that increase waiting times and decrease availability, local pharmacies have become the first entry point for healthcare in most areas.
Even with local healthcare efforts, people in rural areas still suffer from
various major health problems, and a single-product approach is not
enough to address these issues.
Limited accessibility to necessary medications causes mortality, low medication adherence, and the need for pharmacy hopping even for mild symptoms, resulting in delayed recovery and increased mortality for non-communicable diseases, ultimately leading to increased health risks and poorer overall health outcomes.
How might we develop affordable, feasible & accessible healthcare solutions for them?
Introducing NeoMita:
Transforming Home Health Monitoring with Innovative Ecosystem
The solution will consist of three parts. We reimagine NeoMita as a home-wearable device, offering both product and application services. This device will cater to patients of all ages and will feature a rental-based business model.
Additionally
, we are collaborating with mPharma, a prominent African pharmacy chain, to access new markets.
Mita band
A simple and effective continuous healthcare monitoring device that tracks pulse, respiratory, oxygen saturation, and temperature.
Intuitive, visualized, and user-friendly application that helps Neopenda manage their inventory, and the patient to monitor their health at home while increasing health literacy.
We proposed a new business model and system intervention that will connect the current gap in the emerging healthcare market. Local African pharmacies are transforming the African healthcare system. One pharmacy chain in particular, mPharma, has a mission to make affordable healthcare accessible to every African. Today, mPharma has already made an impact on over 150,000 pharmacy members.
The Mita Band:
Simple and to the point
The Mita band, tailored for all age groups, features two extendable straps along with a vital sign sensor and easy-to-use alerts for abnormal vital signs.
Material and strap design is flexible, quickly adjustable, and easy to use. The Mita band features two straps to accommodate a wide range of diameters. The band length varies from 20 to 60 centimeters. Adults usually don't need the extra band, as their arm circumference is standard, but for babies needing a larger diameter, the extra band extends the length.
To prevent manual loss in the rental system, we've chosen to print graphics and illustrations demonstrating the Mita band's functions. This helps individuals with limited health knowledge understand better.
To protect the device from damage in the rental process, it is inserted into the silicone strap, allowing the LED light alerts to be visible through the silicone case so that users can see them without removing the device.
Vital Indicators: Red light flashes followed by beeping sounds when vitals fall outside of normal range. Compression molding and a coin cell battery will reduce the device's size, ensuring durability and cost efficiency.
Mita Software: Connector of all service
The software is an intuitive, visually driven, and user-friendly application specifically designed with images and straightforward instructions to enhance health literacy and ensure ease of understanding for people. The software comprises three components tailored to meet the needs of patients, pharmacists, and Neopenda employees, offering features that align with their requirements.
Business Model: Neopenda + mPharma
Through a new rental-based model in collaboration with mPharma, Neopenda can forge a partnership that leads to significant advancements in establishing a comprehensive supply chain, ultimately paving the way for a healthier and more prosperous future for all Africans.
Neomita's rental model champions a circular economy, enhancing sustainability and healthcare affordability. By providing rental services for the Mita band, we extend its lifespan, minimizing waste and environmental harm. This initiative fosters accessibility to cost-effective medical technology, dismantling financial barriers to quality healthcare.
The Partnership for Comprehensive Patient Care
Collaborating with mPharma would benefit both Neopenda and mPharma. Neopenda's devices could be made available in Mutti pharmacies, offering accessible and affordable care to patients. This partnership would establish an ecosystem fostering customer loyalty, empowering mPharma to leverage health screening data for identifying areas of need and providing relevant medications. Ultimately, the collaboration between Neopenda and mPharma presents a win-win opportunity, enabling both organizations to achieve their goals while advancing healthcare accessibility for patients across Africa.
“Affordable, user-friendly tools have huge potential to improve quality of healthcare services at all levels, and Neopenda is excited about the focus the ID team has placed on providing access for rural and underserved populations.”
—Teresa Cauvel, CTO, Neopenda
“The ID team demonstrated a new area for Neopenda to grow their impact in Africa through exceptional research, clarity of thinking, and visualization of their credible integrated solution”
—Martin Thaler, Associate Teaching Professor
“It is a project that focus on accessibility and really consider a project that in the context.”
—Parsons Design School
MY ROLEDesign Research | UI / UX Design | Product Design | Visual Communication | Service Design | Business Strategy
FRAMEWORK & TOOLS
Primary + Secondary Research, Comparative Market analysis, HMW (How Might We), User Journey Map, Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Scenarios, Business model & System Mapping
TIMELINESep, 2022- Dec, 2022
ADVISOR Martin Thaler
TEAM
Han Wen (Vanessa) Chang, Jiwon Shin, Keval Parekh , Adelyn Soetyono
02 E-MAIL
Vanessa Chang © 2024