Lingshuang Kong

Everyone encounters illnesses, whether chronic or seasonal. However, most individuals lack specialized medical knowledge, which can lead to inadvertent misuse or incorrect administration of medications, potentially exacerbating their health issues. By harnessing AI technology, EasyMed aids users in identifying adverse reactions between medications as well as between medications and food items, thereby enhancing their health awareness and well-being.

Our design studio is called EasyMed, co-founded by myself and Yumei Feng. Our primary focus lies in the design and development of the EasyMed product. As co-founders of the studio, Yumei and I jointly oversee the product's design and development. Within the studio, I hold the role of Product Designer and UX Engineer. My responsibilities encompass leading the product planning, design process, and development.

Mary is a senior adult living by herself and she is taking 5+ medications to relieve her high blood pressure, back pain and kidney disease. She is always worrying about the adverse drug-drug and drug-food interactions. After using our app, she said "I would definitely recommend this app to my friends. I find it really helpful in avoiding potential drug interactions and planning appropriate meals for daily life!". We believe that EasyMed emerges as a groundbreaking solution, addressing the critical issue of polypharmacy and holding the potential to revolutionize medication management for all.

The inception of this product idea stemmed from my personal experience. Being on multiple prescription medications alongside a regimen of various vitamins, I found myself pondering whether these combinations might lead to adverse reactions when I contracted a fever and needed to take a fever reducer. This prompted me to delve deeper into the potential interactions between the medications I was taking and my diet. In exploring this concern further, I interviewed a diverse range of individuals, including many elderly people, and discovered that they harbored similar worries. I firmly believe that this product can assist individuals, particularly the elderly who are often on multiple medications, in better navigating the avoidance of adverse reactions. By doing so, it enhances their quality of life and promotes their overall physical well-being.

Through extensive research of our competitors' designs, we identified a common shortfall: lack of transparency and clarity in presenting adverse interaction information. Many competitors provided only binary information regarding the presence or absence of interactions, along with a general idea of what those interactions might entail. However, crucial details such as the severity of interactions, their likelihood, and the underlying reasons behind them were often omitted. In contrast, EasyMed employs easily understandable and comprehensive language to articulate the information provided by AI, ensuring transparency and accessibility for all users.

In addition to its core function of detecting adverse interactions between medications and between medications and food items, EasyMed offers a drug list feature. This feature allows users to effortlessly add and manage their medications, receive medication reminders, and alleviate concerns regarding dosage errors or missed doses. Furthermore, our Explore feature enables users to engage with informative articles, fostering a deeper understanding of polypharmacy. We believe that through these features, users can conveniently and safely manage their daily medication routines while significantly enhancing their awareness of medication safety.

To effectively capture attention and convey our health message, we've integrated unique and compelling elements into our advertising materials. Recognizing that a significant portion of our user base comprises seniors, and acknowledging the varying degrees of visual impairment among older adults, we've employed larger fonts and colors with higher contrasts in our design and promotion efforts. This ensures enhanced readability and comprehension of our product among our users. Additionally, we've incorporated delightful healthcare-related illustrations, adding to the overall appeal and providing a more enjoyable user experience. By combining these elements, we aim to not only attract attention but also effectively communicate our health message, catering to the needs and preferences of our audience.

Receiving the TITAN Health Award is truly an honor and holds profound significance for me as a product designer and UX engineer. It acknowledges the dedication I've poured into the realms of design and healthcare, validating the impact of my past efforts. To stand out among such a wealth of exceptional works and to witness recognition from industry experts and seasoned designers and engineers is incredibly inspiring. I believe that winning the TITAN Health Award will fuel my ongoing commitment to product design and healthcare, driving me to create more valuable solutions that elevate health awareness and strengthen well-being.

EasyMed empowers seniors and the broader public by accurately identifying multidrug interactions, mitigating potential consequences through education and assistance. Our 4 main features: 1. Effortlessly search or scan a drug by barcode to check interaction with medications in users’ list. 2. Snap a photo of food items, and the app performs a thorough analysis, alerting users of any potential adverse interactions with drugs in their list. 3. Keep a detailed drug list and receive customized medication reminders to ensure timely and accurate dosing. 4. Access personalized articles to enhance understanding of polypharmacy and enjoy interactive quizzes for added engagement and learning. As 500M+ seniors globally face a 50% higher chance of adverse drug interactions with 5+ medications, our submission, EasyMed, addresses polypharmacy risks. Leveraging deep learning, it empowers users to prevent adverse drug interactions and gain easy access to relevant information.

Our project encountered several significant challenges. Firstly, while existing ML models provided a foundation, as a designer and engineer, I faced the task of optimizing their efficiency and refining output for user comprehension. Adapting complex algorithms into user-friendly formats presented its own set of hurdles, particularly considering our target audience of older adults. Understanding the unique needs of older users was paramount. Through interviews, we discovered that heavy text and medical jargon posed barriers to comprehension. To address this, we integrated Azure's text-to-speech service and a medical dictionary API into our application, facilitating ease of use for older adults. Furthermore, ensuring accessibility was crucial. We meticulously designed the interface with legible text and font sizes tailored for elderly users, and incorporated color schemes friendly to those with visual impairments. Overcoming these challenges was essential to delivering a user-friendly and inclusive AI product.

Winning the TITAN Health Award serves as a powerful catalyst for my professional growth. It inspires me to embrace new challenges, explore diverse design possibilities, and continuously push the boundaries of my capabilities. Moreover, it reinforces my commitment to making a significant impact on the world through design. As a product designer and UX engineer, my core ambition is to leverage technology to enhance people's lives and contribute to a more enjoyable world for all. This recognition encourages me to remain steadfast in this pursuit, driving me to strive for excellence and innovation in my practice. Ultimately, winning this award motivates me to amplify my influence and effect positive change on a broader scale.

1. Technological Advancements: The health industry is continuously evolving, with companies leveraging cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize healthcare. Innovations like AI-driven diagnosis and health assistants are reshaping the landscape. As a product designer and UX engineer in the healthcare sector, embracing these advancements is crucial to creating valuable solutions. 2. Information Transparency: Given that many individuals lack a medical background, ensuring transparency and simplicity in healthcare product design is paramount. Designers and engineers must strive to make complex medical information easily understandable to everyone, regardless of their level of medical expertise. This transparency fosters trust and empowers users to make informed decisions about their health. 3. Human-Centric Care: Designing for healthcare inherently involves interaction with patients. Engaging with them not only enriches the designer and engineer's sense of purpose but also underscores the profound impact our work has on people's lives. It's about genuinely caring for the well-being of individuals and contributing to a better world.

As someone who has had the opportunity to witness both China's and the United States' healthcare industries, I can attest to the unique characteristics of each country. China's vast population and immense market potential provide unparalleled opportunities for the healthcare industry to thrive. With economic development and improving living standards, there's a growing emphasis on health among the populace, driving rapid growth in the healthcare sector. On the other hand, the United States leads the world in medical research and technological innovation. It boasts numerous prestigious medical research institutions, hospitals, and biotechnology companies, all contributing to the continuous advancement and development of the healthcare industry. In summary, China's expansive market and growing emphasis on health contribute to its uniqueness in the healthcare industry, while the United States' leadership in medical research and innovation sets it apart on the global stage.

As a product designer and UX engineer, I think in the coming 5-10 years, the healthcare industry will undergo a profound transformation driven by innovative approaches: Digital Health Revolution: Designers and engineers will play a crucial role in shaping the user experience of digital health solutions, such as telemedicine platforms, wearable devices, and health tracking apps. By focusing on intuitive interface design, seamless integration of features, and user-friendly navigation, designers and engineers will enhance patient engagement and facilitate remote patient monitoring, ultimately improving health outcomes. AI and Machine Learning: Designers will collaborate with engineers and healthcare professionals to design AI-powered tools that augment clinical decision-making and streamline healthcare workflows. Through thoughtful design, designers and engineers will ensure that AI-driven diagnostics, treatment planning algorithms, and predictive analytics tools are user-friendly, visually appealing, and intuitive to use, thereby empowering healthcare providers to deliver more efficient and effective care.

Books and Publications: There are numerous books and publications covering various aspects of the health industry, including healthcare management, healthcare technology, medical ethics, and healthcare policy. Open Access Journals and Research Papers: Accessing peer-reviewed journals and research papers in fields such as medicine, healthcare informatics, and public health can provide valuable insights into current trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in the health industry. Design inspiration platforms: These platforms, such as Dribbble, Pinterest, and Awwwards, provide a wealth of creative ideas and design solutions across various industries, including healthcare. Designers can explore how others have approached the design of digital health products.

Yumei Feng, another founding product designer at Easymed, has been a tremendous source of inspiration and motivation for me. Working alongside her, I've been deeply inspired by her professional design skills, relentless pursuit of excellence, and exceptional communication abilities. Beyond her technical prowess, I admire Yumei's unwavering commitment and determination. Despite the numerous challenges inherent in pursuing our design dreams, she never gives up. She always maintains her perseverance and resolve, believing in her ability to achieve extraordinary success. Yumei's example serves as a constant reminder to me that with dedication and perseverance, anything is possible in the pursuit of our passions.

The key to my success in the field of product design lies in two fundamental principles: passion and perseverance. Firstly, cultivating a deep-seated passion for my work fuels my creativity, drives innovation, and imbues me with a relentless pursuit of excellence. It's this passion that propels me to continuously explore new ideas, challenge the status quo, and push the boundaries of design possibilities. Secondly, unwavering dedication and relentless effort are essential. Success rarely comes overnight; it is the result of consistent hard work, resilience in the face of setbacks, and a commitment to continual improvement. Through persistent effort and a willingness to learn from failures, I have been able to overcome obstacles and steadily progress in my career.