Project Title

CLOVER; New IV System

Project Timeline

September 2014 December 2014

Project Detail

CLOVER is a new IV system for hospitalised patients and professional nurses to enhance their physical and mental happiness.

The goal is to completely revolutionise the current laborious system of an IV. This system effects both nurse and patient, focusing on how to improve their experience while interacting with the product and system.

The design of both a physical and virtual solutions are complete. Afterward, both solutions are synchronised to complete one perfect system.

The “Fail and Learn” process is done to prove that the concept is feasible. Physically building the mock-ups and facing the unexpected problems helps the process to be defectless.

Wait! What is IV?

IV. It stands for “Intravenous”. IV is also known as “Intravenous therapy”. It is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. Intravenous simply means "within vein". Therapies administered intravenously are often included in the designation of specialty drugs.

IV is the Symbol of Illness

IV is a device that allows the patient to get a direct medication through vein. It is commonly used for various circumstances. However, design wise, the current IV is the worst. It provides physically and psychologically uncomfortable for both patient and nurse and the HMI (human - machine interaction) is terrible. Also the look and behaviour of IV is totally against the hospitals’ goal.

Ideal User Experience for IV Patient & Nurse

IV is commonly used for almost every cases. However most of the long term IV users are post surgery patients. The above diagram is a post surgery scenario flow chart. Each stages requires different tasks to fulfill the user’s ideal experience. Apparantly two different users, nurse and patient, interact with IV simultaneously. It was necessary to observe the best user experience for both nurse and patient.

Patient Insight

How does it feel like moving around with a long, heavy, uncomfortable and ugly looking pole for all day?

Click here to View Patient Solution

Patient Insight

What is it like to pay extreme attention to every details and record them?

Click here to View Nurse Solution

Solution for Patient : Wearable & Carriable Medical Device

Insight

The hospital encourages post-surgery patients to be mobile, but the characteristics of an IV set make it a huge hindrance on their mobility.

Opportunity

Design a new form for the IV set, that empowers and encourages patients’ mobility both physically and mentally. Any factors that disturb patients' mobility should be eliminated.

Proposal

Create a wearable & carriable IV set that provides the patient with a complete freedom of movement.

Mechanism Mockup

Messy and uncontrollable IV tubings are the priority pain point listed for both nurses and patients. They provoke both physical disturbances and psychological anxiety.

Inventing a new mechanism that can organise these messy tubings was challenging. Simply shortening the length of the tubings was not the solution. Allowing users full flexibility of movement while wearing the IV is the ultimate goal.

Wearable Mockup

Imagine an IV without any of the IV equipment we already know. What if there was no IV pole? What if there was no IV bag hanging on top? What about the bulky IV pumps? All of these factors in the current IV set up hinder patients’ mobility.

Making the IV wearable and also ergonomically comfortable was challenging. The entire mechanism is not heavy but the various sizes of IV bags may be a hindrance. Finding the right spot for the users to wear the IV was a key attribute.

Final Working Mockup

The image above is the final working mockup. The mockup size is bigger than the actual calculation, due to the many technological limitations in school. However, it is undeniable that the size is still too big to carry around. To identify the problem and discover a solution has become the next crucial task.

The Fundamental Problem

Currently, there are 4 types of IV bags, 100, 250, 500 and 1,000ml. They are manufactured cheap by and poorly, and the weight and size distributions are not properly calculated.

The new designed IV bag eliminates the size problem. It holds the fluid with better space efficiency. Now the size of the IV bag can shrink down into a wearable form.

Additionally, the readability of the IV bag cover is also redesigned, as the original IV bag's legibility made it likely for the nurses to make mistakes.

Smart Mechanism with Clean Design

Many users have been struggling with the form and characteristics of the device. The poor arrangement of the long tubings and weight distribution cause stress to both patients and nurses.

This new design resolves these issues. The workability of the mechanism is proven by the several failures of the mockups. It is a rather complex device but is hidden under a simple intuitive design. Its obtusely large size is now condensed within a smooth and slim design.

Eliminating the Look of a Medical Device

The current look of the IV exudes a distinct aesthetic of medical products. This causes anxiety in the users as well as, unwanted attention by signifying their medical condition. As a result, the IV, which should empower the patient, has become the symbol of weakness. CLOVER eliminates the look and feel of a medical device and rebrands itself with a warm feeling. The various material options with friendly CMF provide users with an added aesthetic pleasure.

Two Options on Wearable

The IV is mandatory for all post-surgery patients. However, wearing a medical device can act as an obstacle to those with restrictive body conditions. For example, wearing it as a backpack will not work for those with a back or shoulder surgery. Users can choose their preferred wearable style based on the specificity of their condition.

Solution for Nurse : Simple and Intuitive Controls

Insight

Most medical devices are sophisticated and need to be handled with extreme caution, while nurses are busy and cannot afford any mistakes.

Opportunity

Nurses need something that can improve their mental awareness so as to be able to concentrate on their duty at anytime.

Proposal

Create a hospital platform that can control and keep patients’ information organised. Communicating accurate patient information between nurses is also necessary.

iPads in Hospital

Since the launch of Apple’s iPad in 2010, doctors and other healthcare professionals have been bringing them into their offices and hospitals. Instead of creating a new manifestation for the massive existing hospital platform, using the iPad is now the easiest and most convenient option. More and more hospitals are now relying on the iPad technology and platform, and the number is still increasing.

System Diagram

“Communication" and “Data Sharing” are the two major problems spotted in the current hospital platform. Nurses often need to work under extreme stress, leading to make, data losses and miscommunication. The current developing system only has data sharing between doctors and nurses. The CLOVER system connects nurses and patients together for more reliable in hospital patient's experience.

CLOVER System Flow

An easy and intuitive platform and interface is crucial for the current system. CLOVER organises the individual patient's information. Now, the nurses can access the patient's information without flipping through hundreds of paper documents. Because the information hierarchy is smooth, nurses no longer make a mistakes on their worksite.

Nurses, Take Your Pick!

Easy and Intuitive Infostructure

CLOVER helps the intimacy between the nurse and patient. It provides a system that nurses can easily access into patient’s voice. This prevents the nurses from making a mistake or forgetting any important medical information. Now the nurses in hospital no need to be stressed out with complicate and unorganised documents anymore.