Environments We’re Studying: Hospitals

Hospitals. To some, the word strikes fear, but at Karten Design we see opportunity.

From ORs and ICUs to supply rooms and laboratories, our team of unbiased researchers, engineers, and designers have spent years working first-hand in hospitals across the country and the world to advance the standard of care and improve everyday experiences for patients. Most recently, our team conducted in-depth respiratory health research in emergency rooms, identified key areas for improvement within the specimen handling process, and examined clinical workflows and safety protocols to enhance the overall quality of care.

Using unique tools and processes, we transform the data we uncover from our research into actionable insights that help leaders in the healthcare industry develop innovative solutions. Our research presents us with an invaluable opportunity to observe and conduct in-depth interviews with professionals who work inside some of the nation’s highest-ranked hospitals. We have worked with doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians, and regulators to study their workflow, observe protocols in action, examine how they work with medical devices during the product development process, and focus on the human emotions that affect their work on a daily basis.

“Being able to have direct access to doctors, nurses and technicians, all of whom are responsible for saving lives on a daily basis, is a rewarding opportunity,” says Sarah Takagaki, K:D Design Researcher. “There is no room for error when conducting research as you don’t want to distract these professionals who are responsible for the lives of others.”

From design research to product development, our embedded work inside hospitals helps our clients seize new opportunities and understand the value of design and research in the medical device development process. Questions? Give us a call at 310-827-8722 or send us a note.