Case study
Project One — PostCare
A Digital Recovery Companion for Post-Operative Care
A healthcare web app that helps surgery patients navigate recovery through personalized healing timelines, post-operative instructions, provider communication, and guided care plans.
The problem
After outpatient surgery, many patients leave the hospital with limited guidance and support during their recovery journey. Post-operative instructions are often delivered verbally, making them difficult to remember, especially when patients are recovering from anesthesia. Patients frequently experience uncertainty around their healing progress, difficulty reaching providers, and a lack of structured exercise or diet recommendations.
Research revealed that:
• 59% of patients only received verbal post-op instructions
• Many struggled to remember their recovery guidelines
• Only 44% felt their doctor was available for follow-up questions
• Only 25% received doctor-recommended exercise or diet plans
These gaps highlighted the need for a more accessible and centralized recovery experience.
The approach
Using the Double Diamond design process, I researched patient pain points, analyzed competitors, prioritized features, and designed a solution centered around patient confidence and accessibility.
Through user research and an effort-impact analysis, I identified the core features that would provide the most value:
• Personalized recovery timeline to help patients understand healing stages and expectations
• Centralized post-operative instructions so important information is always accessible
• Recovery task lists organized by days, weeks, and months
• Secure provider communication with the ability to share updates and images with doctors
• Guided exercise and diet recommendations aligned with recovery milestones
I created low-fidelity wireframes to quickly test ideas, gathered user feedback, and iterated toward a high-fidelity prototype. Early testing helped identify usability improvements before finalizing the experience.
The outcome
PostCare transformed a fragmented recovery process into a structured digital experience that empowers patients to better understand and manage their healing journey.
The final concept provided patients with:
• Clear visibility into their recovery timeline
• Easier access to medical instructions and provider support
• Increased confidence in knowing what steps to take next
• A more connected experience between patients and healthcare providers
Future improvements include adding video appointments, mobile notifications, and additional care management features to further support patients throughout recovery.
Project Gallery
