CASE STUDY 1/

AuTHOR: Craig Fleisch

PROJECT TITLE: UConnect
PROJECT MEMBERS: Craig Fleisch,
Saba Taghvai-Arabi, and Paul Rarick

Our team proposed that youth would be better
able to manage their chronic illness and gain
independence and responsibility for their
own healthcare needs by incorporating their
individual experiences with a user-controlled
platform such as a mobile app or social

media site.

To support our thesis, we looked through
secondary research that focuses on the role

of design research in healthcare and existing
successful social media platforms. We also
looked at the benefits and risks of social media
in healthcare, and how it can engage and
empower patients.

Our primary research included a cultural
probe in the form of a survey. It consisted of a
six-page interactive survey in PDF form. Thirty
eight participants, ranging in age from 18 to
24, completed the survey. The results show that
youth are constantly engaged with one another
online; the majority of them have access to a
laptop or smartphone. Ninety-seven percent
are not satisfied with the current healthcare
system, with two-thirds saying they would use
a health-focused social media site. There is a
clear demand for social media to play a role in
healthcare.

Analysis of our primary and secondary research

showed the tenability of our thesis and
informed the final design. We created a health-
focused social media website on a simple,
easy-to-navigate platform. (imace 2) Key features
include personal health biographies and a
place to share similar experiences with either a

IMAGE 1 / UConnect enables youth with
chronic illness to gain independence and
responsibility in the management of their
illness through a user-controlled mobile

app and social media site.

friends list or a forum-based online community.
Users also had the option to control privacy
settings, as well as search for health-related
articles, research, treatments, symptoms, and
conditions.

We chose to incorporate a web-based mobile
app to complement the website. The app
employs only a few key features of the website,
including search options for symptoms,
treatments, and conditions, as well as a
messaging centre to get in touch with friends
and healthcare professionals. (imace 1)

The core values of the website and app are
patient engagement and empowerment.
Therefore, we named our project UConnect—
A place to learn, share & grow. Ideally, a health-
focused app or social media site will act as a
starting point for engaging individuals, and
grow into a support network that can remain
with them throughout their adult lives.

IMAGE 2 / UConnect
web-based mobile app
that complements the
UConnect website in
creating a space for
patient engagement
and empowerment.

REFERENCES

Sarasohn-Kahn, Jane.
“The Wisdom of Patients:
Health Care Meets
Online Social Media.”
California Health Care
Foundation. April
(2008): 1-24. Print.

McKay, Lauren

S. “A Prescription

for Social Media.”
Customer Relationship
Management no. 18.
October (2010): 18-24.
Print.