2024
OncoLink
Communication between pathologists, surgeons, and oncologists during patient diagnosis and treatment phases is often fragmented in Oncology care, leading to delays, missed updates, and confusion.
Goal:
Design a centralized, secure platform where each specialist can stay updated in real time through clearly managed workflows, notifications, and controlled access based on their role.
Deliverable:
A secure web application facilitating phase-based communication for oncology care teams.
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Type: Conceptual Project
Role: Lead UX Designer
Timeline: 2 Weeks
Background
In Saskatchewan — especially in rural and remote areas — communication between pathologists, surgeons, and oncologists can be fragmented, delayed, and heavily reliant on siloed systems like email or disconnected EMRs (Electronic Medical Records). This creates critical gaps in continuity of care for cancer patients, particularly those navigating complex treatment journeys such as colon cancer.
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OncoLink was designed to directly address this gap: a secure, role-based web application that connects a patient’s care team across diagnostic and treatment phases. Developed with direct input from a practicing pathologist, the app allows each specialist to contribute to a shared patient workflow — with access controlled by an admin and automatic notifications triggered at each update.
Research
Though conceptual, the project was informed by real observations and informal feedback from clinical settings. We focused on:
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The need for phase-based communication (e.g., when pathology results are in, everyone else must act fast)
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The frustration around unclear roles and permissions
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The importance of automated, timely notifications to reduce friction and manual follow-ups​
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These insights shaped OncoLink's structure and design along with keeping simplicity a core principle.
Phases
The app’s structure is centered around four key phases, each aligned with real clinical roles:
Pathologist enters biopsy results, including cancer type, MMR status, and key genetic mutations (e.g., BRAF, KRAS, NRAS).
Surgeon records surgical details such as operation date, procedure, and complications.
Post-op pathology report includes staging and updated molecular information.
Oncologist outlines the treatment plan, including staging confirmation, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy details.
Primary User Groups
Pathologist
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Enter cancer type, MMR status, key mutations, update final staging after surgery
Launches and updates the care workflow.
(Phases 1 & 3)
Surgeon
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Log surgery details and complications
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Critical for timely treatment planning
(Phase 2)​
Oncologist
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Review stage, plan chemo/radiation
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Fast, informed treatment decisions.
(Phase 4)
DESIGN PROCESS
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
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Phase 1 & 3
Pathologist role-based access, adding new patient information, confirmation message. ​
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Phase 2
Surgeon role-based access, logging surgery details with options for notifications, confirmation message.​
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Phase 4
Oncologist role-based access, logging treatment details with options for notifications, confirmation message.​
Key Features for Success
Access Control
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Only see what’s relevant to your role.
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Protects patient data and reduces screen clutter.
Real-Time Notification
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Triggered when a phase is completed or updated.
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Keeps all team members aligned without emails.
Admin Control
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Add/remove users
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Assign access permissions per role.
Challenges & Learnings
Challenges
What I Learned
Translating real hospital workflows into digital flows
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Designing notifications without overwhelming users
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Balancing security with speed
Simplicity matters more than perfect clinical logic
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Role-based triggers solve this cleanly
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Admin panel clarity and patient timeline = critical
"Simple tools can solve complex healthcare problems." - Pathologist