Making the wait manageable for patients awaiting organ transplantation
Problem
Patients who are diagnosed with illnesses that require organ transplantation have no clear idea as to how long the wait can be. Currently there are more than 116,000* people waiting for organ transplants in the US (* as per organdonor.gov) How might we make the wait time for patients more manageable and more “normal”?
Methodology
• Understood the emotional journey of patients waiting for organ transplant by diary research
• Understood the emotional journey of family members and care givers by interviews
• Conducted analogous research to understand human behavior in comparable situations
• Designed a prototype of a physical space that enables patients to communicate, build trust, share and feel safe
Role
• Student Researcher (as part of final year research paper)
Impact
• Currently under discussion for conducting testing using volunteer patients and care givers
