Revolutionizing blood supply chain management.
Haemonetics' redesigned software and handheld devices transformed meticulous data entry into a seamless, patient-focused experience, boosting efficiency and satisfaction for both staff and donors.
Haemonetics provides software that hospitals, blood donation centers and blood banks use to manage the blood supply chain.
Challenge
Hospitals and blood donation institutions are mandated by public health regulations to maintain extensive records for every transaction, necessitating meticulous data entry at every step. The existing technology was inadequate for this task, with too few computer workstations and an ill-suited interface from Haemonetics, resulting in phlebotomists focusing more on data entry than on donors. This led to significant frustration among employees and poor patient experiences.
The previous blood collection software installed on a makeshift mobile computing workstation. It had to be shared among phlebotomists and wheeled between patients, creating delays and irritable patients.
An additional medical computing station showing the previous blood collection software. Data entry was extensive, errors commonplace, and frustration with the system high.
My Role:
User Research ● Ethnographic Research ● Rapid Prototyping ● Information Architecture ● Wireframes ● UI Design ● Iconography
At Pathfinder, I spearheaded a comprehensive research and ethnography initiative with a colleague. We conducted extensive fieldwork in blood donation centers, blood banks, and hospitals, interviewing users of the existing technology and observing their workflows. Through meticulous documentation, I identified key inefficiencies in the current processes. Collaborating closely with product and engineering teams, I led the design, review, and testing of new interfaces for handheld devices. These new interfaces significantly streamlined operations, reducing steps and making tasks faster, easier, and less frustrating for users.
Early sketches of workflows and screen designs
Our initial designs began as simple hand sketches and were refined through months of iterative reviews with clients and stakeholders. We developed and tested prototypes and invested many hours in mapping user flows on whiteboards. The final design introduced several key improvements over the existing product.
Solution:
The redesigned interface for the blood donor intake process at reception was tailored to easily recognize returning donors, reducing duplicate records and minimizing wait times. Phlebotomists were equipped with new handheld devices featuring user-friendly software for at-a-glance data entry, ensuring their focus remained on the patients. Form fields, labels, and buttons were made larger and more tap-friendly, with color-coded alerts for quick communication. Data entry fields were organized into discrete, ordered steps, enhancing efficiency. Additionally, new interfaces streamlined the storage and scanning of blood packs, reducing human error.
Outcome:
By allowing the healthcare practitioner to focus more on their patients and less on data-entry, the new hardware and software solutions made the blood donation, collection, and storage processes more efficient and satisfying, directly benefiting both staff and patients.
Sample Wireframes
Testing the new software on the mobile medical device it was installed on for use during blood collection
The simple linear flow, large tap targets and iconography made operating the software easy and quick, allowing the phlebotomists to focus their attention on the patient.