Building a Healthier World: From Insight to Implementation

Building a Healthier World: From Insight to Implementation

At IA Collaborative, we believe in the power of design to change behaviors, build a healthier world, and create a healthcare system that works for all. From helping to scale telemedicine during a pandemic to partnering with a major pharmaceutical company to design and launch a digital diabetes management ecosystem, we work from insight to implementation.

It helps that we get healthcare. Our team of designers, researchers, business strategists and technologists have deep backgrounds across the spectrum of clinical contexts, from pharma to payor to provider. We understand the intricacies of reimbursement models, the challenges of EHR systems, the importance of protecting patient privacy, and the nuances of innovating within a heavily regulated space. We bring that knowledge to every project, expertly navigating the complex ecosystems of healthcare to drive clarity and alignment to make innovation happen.

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By mapping patient and care team experiences, IA Collaborative’s team of designers and researchers highlights opportunities for innovation.

Breaking Down Complexity: A Systemic Approach

The first question our healthcare clients ask is, “How?” How do we get close and observe both patients and providers? How do we remain HIPAA compliant while getting the most out of our data? How do we design, test, and learn within the regulatory constraints of the FDA? How do we grapple with the massive complexity of the healthcare system and provoke meaningful innovation?

We do it by focusing on people. Whether we are blueprinting a new service offering to improve patient outcomes or helping a pharmaceutical company understand the neurology office experience before releasing a novel migraine therapy, we start by understanding what people need, how they interact, and what motivates them. Then we visualize and design systems and solutions that work for all the people within it.

Kathleen Brandenburg, co-founder of IA Collaborative, highlights the vital role of design in improving health outcomes during her main stage talk at the Mayo Clinic’s Transform Symposium.

Design Determines Behavior

Design doesn’t directly cure disease or heal injuries, but it can empower people to live healthier lives. In the United States, 40% of all premature deaths are attributed to behavioral causes. At IA Collaborative, we design solutions that create positive changes in behavior. Through detailed observation, we understand people’s needs and motivations. Whether we are surfacing the data-driven insights people need to manage their diabetes or creating a service to onboard infusion therapy patients, we are committed to understanding the impact of behavior on health so we can design a healthier future.

IA researchers observe a therapy infusion remotely through a patient’s phone. The team was able to get a better understanding of the patient experience and process at a distance.

Now More than Ever, Research is Creative

At IA, we do whatever it takes to get close to our users, even in places that are hard to access and in times when access is limited. That means riding along in a patient’s pocket while they live-share their appointment or shadowing a surgeon all the way into the operating room. We get creative and resourceful, utilizing remote platforms, 360 cameras, digital prototypes, and participatory design to fully immerse ourselves in the world of our users. We work with our clients and research participants to ensure our methods meet the highest privacy and safety standards. By embracing the complexity of healthcare environments and embedding ourselves within them, we help people tell their stories and they help us reimagine health.