Information System for OR

Background

This project is to develop the information system with integrated screen for a smart operating room. The project developed a screen UX that enables medical staff to quickly access surgical information on a single display at a glance, which is typically presented across fragmented monitors in an operating room.

Research Data Analysis

When I joined the project “Smart Operating Room” as a lead product designer, we had collected data from interviews with several medical professionals regarding the operating room. My first task was to analyze the interview data. After coding the data, we created an affinity diagram to extract the core concepts related to the smart operating room.

Coding user research raw data

Affinity diagram

Core Concepts for a Smart Operating Room

• All information during surgery should be checked at a glance• Each device must be controlled in an integrated manner• Infection should not occur in the operating room

Challenges

I was able to define the challenge that needed to be resolved through field research in the operating room and the analysis of interview data

In the current operating rooms, during surgery, it is necessary to repeatedly check surgery information and view the display devices. However, these display devices are fragmented within the operating room, making their use inconvenient and cumbersome. Consequently, it becomes difficult to concentrate on the operation.

As is

Design Solution

Drawing from the core concepts, I designed a user experience to address the challenge.

Centralized control of medical information sources allows viewing on a single screen, while gesture control minimizes infections in the operating room.

To be

Concept Design

I designed a user experience that allows medical staff to see the surgical information at a glance and control screen in a non-contact manner.

1 The surgical information that medical staff want to see can be viewed in a preferred screen layout on a single screen.

2 The screen can be controlled without contact by gesture interaction.

3 Patient safety was pursued so that surgery could proceed only when the patient was identified by voice recognition.

4 When the portable surgical equipment enters the operating room, the display source of the equipment is remotely displayed on the designed screen through the wireless transmitter.

Wireframing

It is designed to minimize the number of clicks for advanced users such as medical professionals and provide a clear overview of the medical information. Additionally, customization of desired screen layouts is possible, and personalization is achieved by displaying previously used configurations.

Impact

1 I won an award at the iF Design Awards 2022.

2 I could begin developing a demo product for the design after gaining support from the hospital's management and surgical teams in operating rooms.

Takeaways

In designing the interface, my primary focus was ensuring that, within the high-pressure environment of surgery, users could accomplish tasks with minimal interaction. Also, I realized that depending on the type of surgery, medical professionals need different information, and the screen layout must adapt accordingly.

One challenge I haven't overcome is refining the non-contact gesture control, which can sometimes be imprecise and uncomfortable. I did design options like a washable silicone-encased mouse with wireless charging. However, given the project timeline constraints, I settled for a mirrored tablet controller interface. I believe there's room for enhancement.

This project gave me a deep appreciation for medical professionals who prioritize patient safety. Observing them take a mandatory 'Time Out' step before surgeries to verify the patient and the surgical part was truly impactful. It also provided me with invaluable opportunities to observe the medical staff’s challenges in the operating room. In operating rooms, there's still a lot of room for UX improvements through the use of recent technologies. While many aspects are ripe for innovation, I've noticed a hesitancy among medical staff. They often find major changes daunting, especially when prioritizing patient safety.