the problem
patient care
reports for mobile
Redesigning Patient Care Charting for EMS: A Cross-Platform Solution
In the EMS industry, patient care charting is essential but time-intensive, taking away valuable moments that could be better spent saving lives. Yet, it’s crucial for ensuring a continuous, comprehensive medical record.
As the lead UX/UI designer, I was tasked with creating a cross-platform app to replace our legacy offerings for iOS, Android, and web. The older products, limited by outdated code, held a backlog of enhancements we were eager to implement.
Collaborating with a small R&D team and a UX researcher during beta testing, we set out with a focused 11-month timeline to deliver an app that would not only meet the complex demands of EMS professionals but also exceed their expectations, optimizing charting without compromising quality.
ZOLL emsCharts Now on the App Store
under construction
⚠️
⠀
under construction ⚠️ ⠀
I designed a mobile component system we could reuse and outlined the interaction behavior early so that we could scale quickly once we defined product fit.
the business context
scanning a driver license would auto-fill patient info
Building a Scalable, Cross-Device UI for iOS, Android, and Web
Designing an app for tablet, phone, and web meant ensuring that the UI scaled seamlessly across all device types. Our existing design library was built primarily for desktop web, leaving a gap for our new mobile requirements. With an ambitious 11-month timeline to build an MVP, I adopted a lean and scalable design approach to meet the cross-platform challenge.
Knowing the app was being built on Ionic React, I leveraged its minimal UI library, utilizing existing components wherever possible and creating custom elements as needed to accelerate development. We approached UX debt methodically, scheduling enhancements per sprint to refine and replace components over time.
Starting with simpler pages allowed us to define core UI patterns early on. As our design library matured, we tackled more complex pages, ensuring we had the foundational elements in place to support a cohesive and responsive user experience.
🕹️
prototype
⠀
🕹️ prototype ⠀
the design process
user diagrams fed early screen designs
Design Sprint and Prototyping: Creating a Real-Time Charting Solution for EMS
Our team began with an audit of the existing product and a review of user feedback to identify core areas for improvement. Recognizing the potential for a vastly improved experience, we invested in a one-week design sprint to envision a more effective solution.
After the sprint, we identified real-time charting as the top priority. To bring this concept to life, I collaborated with the team to turn our initial ideas into detailed user flows and concrete designs. From there, I developed a prototype and tested it with flight paramedics to gather real-world feedback on our concepts.
Building on these insights, we crafted a comprehensive product proposal, outlining the requirements to transform our prototype into a fully functional app that would meet our users’ needs.
Mapping the user journey across our applications highlighted a key segment for improvement, helping us define the product’s constraints and scope. I worked closely with an architect to lead workshops with domain experts, where we clarified the product vision and identified primary user roles. We used swim lane diagrams to map data flow and timing in relation to the user experience, ensuring seamless integration between design and technical requirements.
This approach allowed the back-end to progress concurrently with design iterations. During prototyping, we tested concepts with users and made data-informed adjustments, allowing us to refine features based on user feedback well before development. Integrating feedback early on enabled us to pivot effectively, ensuring that our final design was aligned with user needs and expectations.
the impact
Collaborative Design Process: Building Confidence and Agility from the Start
Involving the entire team early in the design process offered a broad view of our users' needs and the challenges we needed to solve. By integrating user research from the outset, we were able to address concerns holistically and brainstorm solutions efficiently, allowing us to make well-informed, team-driven decisions that helped us scale quickly. Many of the critical decisions were finalized early, giving us the confidence to build and validate a prototype without consuming valuable development time.
Early diagramming of the user journey facilitated essential discussions, uncovering the complete scope of work required to deliver a standout app. This process kept product and engineering stakeholders aligned on expectations and deliverables right from the start.
With the technical requirements clearly outlined, the design team could work ahead, iterating based on user feedback. Our UX researcher conducted regular prototype testing with flight paramedics, giving us real-world insights throughout each cycle. This iterative testing approach enabled us to gain a deep understanding of the product’s strengths and areas for refinement well before launch, ensuring we were poised to meet user needs effectively upon release.