The Patient Revolution

Chapter 2

Insight

When we kicked off the design thinking process for Remedy by learning about others' pain experiences, we were coming across a wide variety of stories—from people with post-surgery pain and arthritis, to those with sciatica, back pains, and neck pains. I spoke with young adults in their late teens and early twenties with pain from playing sports and from technology overload, and middle-aged individuals who had undergone various surgeries and who were dealing with autoimmune conditions. Despite the depth and breadth of these experiences, I found common themes and patterns in the stories that made it very clear what the challenges of managing pain are, as well as what the desirable experiences are. Furthermore, these insights gave me a great deal of empathy for those who suffer with long-term chronic pain.

During this discovery stage, I found there was a strong consensus among pain patients about what things could be improved. Things like an easier way to track pain and share pain history, access to an expert when in pain, and more quality time with care providers, among many other things, were illuminated in my research. These insights were so enlightening because they validated my thinking and helped me to truly put people at the center of Remedy—the way we should approach every aspect of healthcare.

Our healthcare system is flawed and it epitomizes Tim Brown's ...