Community-Based Medication Access Platform
A community-centered digital platform designed to help people access critical medications through peer support and coordinated care—without increasing medical costs.
Overview
Access to essential medications can be disrupted by cost, availability, and timing—particularly for individuals navigating chronic conditions, emergencies, or limited healthcare access. HALCEON was created to address this gap by enabling community-based support for medication access, emphasizing coordination, trust, and safety.
The project explores how digital platforms can facilitate care without monetizing vulnerability, focusing instead on connection, verification, and responsible intervention within a sensitive social and medical context.
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Date: October 2018 – Present
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Investigators / Founders:
Rohan Verma, MD Candidate; Daniel Weng, MD Candidate; Abhi Gami, MD Candidate;
Waverley He, MD Candidate; Jane Wang, MD Candidate; Thomas Le, MD Candidate -
Role: Co-Investigator / UI–UX Designer / Product Designer
Challenge
How can a digital platform support urgent medication access through community connection while maintaining trust, safety, and ethical responsibility—without increasing financial burden or introducing risk?
Approach
The design approach treated HALCEON as a care coordination system, not a marketplace. Interfaces were designed to support clarity, consent, and escalation—recognizing that users may be operating under stress, urgency, or limited options.
Key considerations included:
Designing for high-stakes decision-making under time pressure
Supporting peer-to-peer connection without compromising safety
Making escalation pathways (including emergency services) explicit and accessible
Prioritizing clarity, reassurance, and accountability over speed alone
Process & Decisions
Designed map-based and location-aware workflows to surface nearby resources
Created interaction patterns that guide users through verification and consent steps
Used clear visual hierarchy and color coding to communicate urgency and next actions
Integrated explicit escalation options (e.g., emergency services) as part of ethical UX design
Prototyped multiple flow variations to test clarity, trust, and emotional response
The interface was intentionally direct and minimal, reducing ambiguity during moments when cognitive load is high.
Outcome & Reflection
HALCEON demonstrates how UX and product design can operate as instruments of care rather than consumption. By framing access as a shared responsibility supported by clear systems, the project highlights the role of design in enabling ethical, community-driven solutions within complex healthcare ecosystems.
This work reinforced my belief that design decisions carry social consequences—particularly in contexts involving health, access, and equity. HALCEON continues to inform how I approach design problems that sit at the intersection of technology, trust, and human need.