A clinical workflow and interface redesign that improved data flow, compliance, and decision-making within a comprehensive stroke care system.
Overview
Stroke care requires rapid coordination across clinicians, data systems, and external reporting requirements. Prior to this project, key stroke-related data was manually collected and transferred across disconnected tools, increasing workload, introducing risk, and limiting visibility for quality improvement efforts.
This project focused on designing user interfaces and workflows for a Stroke Center application that streamlined data collection, reduced redundancy, and improved alignment with institutional and national reporting guidelines.
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Date: December 2019 – Present
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Principal Investigator: Brenda Johnson, DnP, CRNP-BC, ANVP, FAHA
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Institution: Johns Hopkins University — Department of Neurology
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Role: Visual Designer / UX/UI Designer
Challenge
How can complex clinical workflows and reporting requirements be translated into a clear, efficient digital system that reduces manual effort, supports compliance, and improves coordination across multidisciplinary stroke care teams?
Design Approach
The design approach treated the Stroke Center application as a workflow bridge between clinicians, institutional systems, and external reporting standards. Rather than focusing solely on interface aesthetics, the project emphasized process clarity, data integrity, and system interoperability.
Key considerations included:
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Reducing manual data entry and duplication
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Supporting multiple clinical and administrative roles
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Aligning workflows with institutional and national guidelines
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Making system logic visible and understandable to users
Process & Decisions
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Mapped existing “before” workflows to identify bottlenecks and compliance risks
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Designed streamlined “after” workflows that integrated data sources more effectively
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Visualized system logic to clarify how data moved between tools and stakeholders
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Reduced reliance on spreadsheets and manual exports by centralizing interactions
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Designed interfaces that support both real-time clinical use and downstream reporting
The diagrams illustrate how the redesigned system replaced fragmented processes with a cohesive, compliant workflow.
Outcome & Reflection
The Stroke Center application improved operational efficiency by reducing manual steps, clarifying responsibilities, and strengthening alignment with reporting requirements such as Get With The Guidelines® Stroke. By addressing workflow and system logic alongside interface design, the project supported more reliable data capture and better coordination across teams.
This work reinforced my approach to UX in complex environments: that meaningful design impact often comes from restructuring systems and workflows—not just improving screens. It continues to inform how I design and teach system-level thinking in healthcare and other high-stakes domains.