D E S I G N DE F I NE D
THE MODERN MEDICAL ERA
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edical innovation is finally having its moment in the spotlight as industry-level silos are breaking down and multidisciplinary professions are being born. Clinical professionals aren’t the only drivers for medical innovation anymore. The industry is gaining complementary impact from designers, consultants, academics and entrepreneurs. This can be largely attributed to increased media trends in personal health awareness, rapid advancements in science and technology, and a growing need for convenient people-centered experiences. The three big trends dominating and defining the modern medical space are big data, contemporary product design and accessible services. Below are examples of how these trends are being realized in society today. Big Data Minority-based misdiagnoses are still a common healthcare problem that people face today, due to the lack of diverse sample sizes within genetic research. This often leads to skewed outcomes and assumptions that can misrepresent or harm the groups of people who were left out of the data collection. Population health initiatives are beginning to alleviate this issue by leveraging the power of big data to provide better representation among a matrix of different socio-demographic traits. In 2020, we are seeing healthtechnology organizations like Color Genomics address population-wide research by democratizing access to highquality genetic information through its platform. Color Genomics enables the delivery of advanced healthcare through clinical genetics, resulting in more informed patients and more effective relationships with clinical professionals. The company makes precision health programs accessible, convenient and cost-effective for everyone, serving health systems, employers, research institutions and individual consumers. Color’s Population Genomics Platform offers modular and end-to-end solutions
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that enable organizations to effectively build and scale population health programs. Contemporary Product Design Maternity products have made leaps and strides through the physical and experiential modernization of everyday products. Willow is a revolutionary example of how good product design aims to eliminate critical pain points during the use of a breast pump. Pumping used to be a loud, inefficient and physically constraining process. Willow has made it so that pumping can be hands-free, audibly discreet and physically compact. Its simple design houses the pump, flange and milk bag all in one piece, making it easy to pump on the go. Additionally, Willow has an app that allows mothers to track their pumping sessions in real time. This 21-century women’s health product does more than just innovate on the breast pump experience; it elevates the daily lives of new mothers who are enabled to maintain an active and multifaceted lifestyle while providing for their children. Accessible Services In the United States, someone is sexually assaulted every 72 seconds. However, fewer than 30% of sexual assault victims report the crime, and fewer than 1% of sexual assault cases end in a conviction. Sexual assault evidence kits, or rape kits, are important tools that help victims report and seek justice, but the current kit format makes the experience long, difficult and often traumatizing for both the victim and the nurse. The procedure within the current kit can only be performed in some emergency rooms and can take between two and 10 hours to complete. Victims often choose to not report the assault or decline to have evidence collected due to the dated nature of the kits. Hark is an over-the-counter, post-sexual-assault health kit and a rape kit service that makes help more accessible.
