Medication Tracking
research summary
USE CASE : Add and track medications
If I were designing a medication tracking app, I would leverage my research to inform and guide my design decisions. Things that I would focus on:
Ease of adding new medications
Reducing the amount of steps needed to track doses
Providing the user flexibility (time, dosage) when tracking doses
[ HIGHLIGHTS ]
Here are some features that make for a good experience:
Database of medication to choose from after typing in a partial name
Guided step by step flow to set up specifics of the medication (type, purpose, dose schedule, icon, refill information, instructions)
Additional notes section
Ability to add the medication by both the complex name and a secondary name (brand or nickname)
Medical interactions warnings
Scanning the medication with the device’s camera
Medications grouped by reminder times
Auto-population of reminders based on dosage
Number of pills, date and time adjustment as part of the tracking prompt
“As needed” medications can be added from the day log
[ POINTS OF FRICTION TO AVOID ]
Having users type in the complex medication names without assistance
Forcing users into other screens or flows as part of adding a new medication
Missed doses reports and notifications should not count future doses
[ THINGS TO EXPLORE ]
Would it be useful for the user to have an option to group medication by purpose
Track side effects and symptoms
apple Health
App Link: https://www.apple.com/health/
Adding a new medication
[ PROS ]
Database of medication to choose from after typing in a partial name
Guided step by step to select specifics of the medication (type, dose schedule, shape and colors)
Able to add additional notes for each medication
Medication interactions are shown along with interactions with alcohol, cannabis and tobacco
There is an option to “scan” the medication by using the device’s camera
[ PAIN POINTS ]
Each reminder has to be individually added
MEDICATION TRACKING
[ PROS ]
Medications for each day are shown grouped by their reminder times
“As needed” medications can be added within a few clicks
Logs are shown day by day
[ PAIN POINTS ]
If the medication reminder is set for 1AM, you aren’t able to record having taken a dose at 10PM the night before
If the medication isn’t taken at the time of the reminder, you have to click into a sub-screen to record the time
For both “as needed” medication and scheduled medication if you need to adjust the amount of pills taken, you have to click into a sub-screen first to adjust it
Medisafe
App Link: https://www.medisafe.com/
Adding a new medication
[ PROS ]
Database of medication to choose from after typing in a partial name
Guided step by step to select specifics of the medication (medication purpose, dose schedule, refill reminders, instructions and colors)
Medication interactions are shown along with interactions with alcohol, cannabis and tobacco
There is an option to “scan” the medication by using the device’s camera
Users are prompted to set up reminders as part of the add medication flow, based on the number of doses that are specified
[ PAIN POINTS ]
There doesn’t seem to be a way to add in a secondary name for the medication or additional notes
When adding a new medication it forces the user into a flow where they have to add “news” topics and go into the “for you” screen every single time
MEDICATION TRACKING
[ PROS ]
When recording medication that has been taken, setting the time and date is automatically part of the flow
There are shortcuts for every single medication to easily reach refill information, editing and tracking actions
Medications for each day are shown grouped by their reminder times
Logs are shown day by day
[ PAIN POINTS ]
“As needed” medication can only be added by opening the menu or going to the medications tab (the user has to navigate away from the day log)
Pill Box
App Link: https://apps.apple.com/ru/app/pill-box-medication-reminder/id6474117822?l=en-GB
Adding a new medication
[ PROS ]
There’s a prompt for users to specify if the medication is taken with a meal or without a meal
The selection, such as “before meals” auto-populates the number of reminders for the medication
There’s a place for additional notes to be added
[ PAIN POINTS ]
There is no database of medications to pull from so users need to spell the complex medication names without assistance
There are no warnings of medication interactions
Icons for each medication has a limited amount of options
MEDICATION TRACKING
[ PROS ]
When recording medication that has been taken, setting the time and date is automatically part of the flow
Medications for each day are shown grouped by their reminder times
Logs are shown day by day
[ PAIN POINTS ]
Future doses are shown as “missed”
Bearable Symptom Tracker
App Link: https://bearable.app/
Adding a new medication
[ PAIN POINTS ]
There is no database of medications to pull from so users need to spell the complex medication names without assistance
There are no warnings of medication interactions
Each reminder has to be individually added
MEDICATION TRACKING
[ PROS ]
Dose is easy to increase or decrease as part of the tracking prompt
Medications can be grouped by “morning”, “evening” and “bedtime”
Logs are shown day by day
[ PAIN POINTS ]
The date can’t be adjusted when tracking the medication
