Treatment companion tool
Tag
Client
The company name and branding have been anonymized to respect confidentiality.
Role
UX Lead Architect and Designer
Team
Background
The company name and disease have been anonymized, all images have been recreated for illustration purposes to respect confidentiality and health privacy laws.
A curative breakthrough for a rare disease
Following the approval of the first curative treatment for a rare disease, patients and clinicians were introduced to a fundamentally new healthcare experience. For the first time, individuals living with this condition—many for years—faced a decision not about disease management, but about pursuing a potential cure.
While clinically promising, the treatment introduced a multi-step process that included consultations, pre-treatment assessments, various appointments and multi-day stays at a treatment facility. This pathway required patients to engage with a level of information and planning that was unfamiliar, and emotionally significant.
Challenge
Supporting a complex patient experience
Clinicians needed a consistent way to explain the treatment journey, while patients required a resource that would help them understand the process, reflect on their readiness, and feel supported throughout.
Solution
To develop the solution, we closely examined the healthcare professional and patient experience, and determined that we needed a structured, multi-step process support tool.
The Treatment Journey Tool is a three-phase digital support system designed to evolve alongside the patient’s decision-making process – from initial consultation and medical assessments to pre-treatment preparations and follow-up care.
1. Consultation experience
The journey begins during the patient’s initial consultation. Using a clinician-facing version of the tool on an iPad, doctors walk patients through the treatment process in a clear, visual, and step-by-step overview. This short-format experience provides:
- A high-level look at the treatment pathway
- Time for questions and discussion, creating a foundation of trust
- An invitation to explore further at home through a personal account
This approach ensures that the introduction to the treatment is consistent, digestible, and collaborative, regardless of which clinician is delivering it.
2. At-home exploration
After the appointment, patients receive a personalized login to continue exploring the journey on their own. In this phase, they gain access to:
- A detailed, self-paced walkthrough of the treatment journey
- The ability to favourite specific questions for follow-up discussions
- Sections that help them reflect on readiness, expectations, and logistics
This stage empowers patients to process the information in their own time, involve family or caregivers, and come prepared for deeper conversations with their care team.
3. Companion mode
If a patient chooses to proceed, they unlock the most robust experience: Companion Mode. This phase transforms the tool into a daily support system, offering:
- Appointment-by-appointment guidance, with to-do lists and expectations
- A notes system to document conversations, symptoms, and emotions
- Mental health check-ins and access to wellness resources
- A social support module connecting patients to peers or mentors
Designed to support both the logistics and emotional weight of the treatment, Companion Mode reinforces that patients are never navigating this alone.
Anticipated Impact
The Treatment Journey Tool is currently in the final stages of development, with pilot implementation planned alongside partner clinical teams. As the treatment begins to roll out more broadly, the tool aims to serve as a scalable model for integrated patient education and support during complex, high-impact treatment journeys.
The tool is designed to:
- Improve patient understanding of the treatment process
- Support informed, shared decision-making
- Reduce variability in how information is communicated by care teams
- Offer patients ongoing support during a potentially overwhelming period
