Strategic Design · Project 03
Memorial
Sloan
Kettering
Design-driven solutions for enhancements in patient care navigation at one of the world's leading cancer care institutions.
Role
Design Researcher & Service Designer
Skills
Challenge
Design scalable experiences along the care navigation journey that improve patient support, reduce barriers to information, and empower an increasingly diverse patient population.
Partner
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan, NY
Team
Dave Remedios, Arunima Sinha & Jo Sabavala
Year
2024 · Parsons School of Design, NY
Partner Engagement
Working directly
with the institution
A series of in-person engagement activities brought the team into direct contact with MSK staff, building empathy and grounding the research in real clinical contexts.
The Analysis
Four analytical
lenses
The team deployed four analytical frameworks to synthesise research findings into actionable design insights.
Ecosystem mapping
A full mapping of the care ecosystem, identifying every touchpoint, stakeholder and information channel a patient encounters along their journey at MSK.
Emotional mapping of 'Fear'
A deep investigation into fear as the dominant emotional state across the care journey, mapping its triggers, escalation points and opportunities for design intervention.
Clustering
Research findings were clustered by theme, revealing recurring patterns across patient experiences and highlighting the highest-impact areas for design intervention.
Question formation
Clusters were translated into focused design questions, setting the direction for interviews and giving the team a structured framework to guide partner conversations.
Interviews
Clinician perspectives
on patient navigation
Structured interviews with specialist physicians provided first-hand insight into the barriers patients face when navigating complex care pathways.
Anaesthesiologist
Dr. Sasha Menon
Insights on the pre-operative patient experience, communication gaps during preparation for surgery, and the emotional burden carried by patients entering unfamiliar clinical settings.
Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Deshmane
Perspectives on the information overload patients experience at diagnosis, the challenges of personalising care communication, and the systemic gaps in post-treatment support pathways.
Strategic Recommendation
MSK Connect+
peer-to-peer support
Over 30 interviews, six months of intensive research and co-design workshops with patients, caregivers and clinical staff at MSK produced a comprehensive strategic document: a complete implementation guide for a self-sustaining peer-to-peer support network. MSK Connect+ is not just a service concept, it is a fully evidenced guide for why peer support is critical to cancer care, how to build it, and how to make it financially independent from day one.
The guide covers every dimension: the clinical case for peer support, a step-by-step implementation roadmap, volunteer and patient enrollment frameworks, a buddy-matching methodology, caregiver-specific programming, and a business model designed to ensure the programme generates its own operational funding, placing zero burden on the institute's core budget.
Buddy System
Matched pairing of new patients with experienced peers who have navigated similar diagnoses, providing emotional support and practical guidance from someone who truly understands the journey.
Regular Meetups
Structured in-person and virtual group sessions facilitated by trained volunteers, creating a safe space for patients and caregivers to share experiences and build community.
Caregiver Support
Dedicated programming for caregivers, a group often overlooked in the care process, addressing their distinct emotional and informational needs throughout the treatment journey.
Self-sustaining Model
A business model designed to keep the programme financially independent from the institute's core operational budget, ensuring longevity and scalability across MSK's diverse patient population.