We used a participatory co-design approach to improve healthcare transitions for youth with sickle cell disease (SCD). The key outcome was the development of an accredited digital educational module for healthcare providers. Lessons learned included the following: 1) Responsive design should be shaped by lived experience, not predetermined solutions; 2) Participant backgrounds influence intervention outcomes; 3) Provider education is a key strategy to address systemic challenges; 4) Provider-focused interventions should still prioritise patient needs; and 5) Collaboration is essential for impact and dissemination. The insights gained when addressing SCD care and transition experiences may be useful when designing interventions for other complex healthcare challenges.

Scalp cooling (SC) is a clinically proven treatment for addressing chemotherapy-induced alopecia (CIA). Previous studies highlighted parameters required for designers to develop products worn on the head for optimal SC. Among these, a lesser explored input was hair types and hairlines, particularly in usability (design thinking). Further exploration of hair type classifications could inform the design process to increase accessibility through the development of new SC caps using mass customisation. This research proposes customisation of wearable cooling products based on gender and hair type to improve efficacy for underrepresented users.

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) provides a lens on the entire healthcare system. Presentations often indicate a preventable complication of a chronic health condition, typically triggered by noncompliance with therapy, and usually affect younger individuals, often from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. DKA may reflect gaps in access to and appropriate engagement with primary care and specialist endocrinology programs in communities. DKA is easily diagnosed, evident almost exclusively when patients present to the hospital; it is associated with metabolic derangements severe enough to sometimes, but not always, require critical care resources. This editorial provides insights into the efficiency with which healthcare resources are used for DKA.

Breast cancer (BC) treatment often overlooks sexual health, focusing solely on survival indicators. The Explorar-me kit invites BC patients to reconnect with their sexuality through self-exploration tools and accessible education. Patient-centred design revealed cultural barriers and normalized discomforts, highlighting the need for proactive sexual health education. The kit’s tools, including a vibrator and dilators, would allow patients to explore their sexual wellbeing independently and confidently. This replicable model demonstrates how empathy-driven, collaborative design can address stigmatised health topics and improve patient experiences.

AREEB ATHAR, FRASER MAGEE, MAINAK MAJUMDAR

This editorial explores the potential benefits of annual physical examinations for physicians, given the high prevalence of health issues among medical professionals. Key advantages include early detection of health problems, enhanced empathy towards patients, and maintenance of physical and cognitive fitness. The proposal also considers incorporating sensory acuity tests for specialties that require them. Challenges include potential increased burnout and confidentiality concerns. The path forward emphasizes creating supportive environments, voluntary wellness programs, and integrating health assessments with continuing medical education. The conclusion stresses the importance of prioritising physician health for overall healthcare quality.

Breast cancer treatments often leave survivors feeling disconnected from their bodies, impacting their self-esteem and emotional wellbeing. TACTUS is an innovative sensory toolkit designed to foster reconnection and self-exploration using tactile tools, essential oils, and guided exercises. Feedback from patients and healthcare professionals led to a shift from a prescribed process to a personalized approach, allowing survivors to engage at their own pace. TACTUS is expected to bridge physical and emotional health, offering a holistic and empathetic proof-of-concept that promotes self-awareness and sexual health posttreatment. Future developments include refining the toolkit, exploring massage techniques to enhance recovery and prevent complications, and conducting a formal evaluation.

As medical students graduate into an increasingly complex healthcare system, researchers, clinicians, and policy makers have called for novel curricular initiatives. Design thinking is a structured innovation framework used regularly in business and engineering. We surveyed and interviewed design thinking educators in medical schools and mapped key themes to curricular accreditation standards in the US and Canada. Although we found significant program heterogeneity, all programs emphasised skills in problem definition in complex spaces and interdisciplinary collaboration. These skills mapped to key curricular content areas. Standardised outcome-based evaluation of students competencies will help further develop the intersection between design and medical education.

An increasing number of medical graduates are opting not to practice medicine after training, a trend that has been rising for decades. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of medical education in preparing and motivating students for lifelong careers. Key issues include the selection of candidates who may lack a genuine desire to help patients, an overemphasis on technical competence at the expense of care and confidence, and a culture that prioritises extrinsic rewards over holistic approaches. To address these challenges, medical education must reform to produce competent, caring doctors who are committed to their vocation.

This article explores the redesign of the Wearable Artificial Kidney (WAK). The article aims to show how crucial a designer’s intervention can be even for medical purposes. It suggests how a renewed setting of the WAK’s components and the review of its usability can spark the transformation of a therapeutic method that has remained unchanged over many years, but is no longer sustainable, both in terms of resources and patients’ quality of life.