Johnson & Johnson goes
Patient-Centric

March - October 2025

Let me take you through the journey of the Patient-Centric Model project, a transformative initiative that aimed at revolutionizing how Johnson & Johnson handles patient data within their Abiomed heart care ecosystem. The mission was clear: transition their daily-use field application from a device-centric to a patient-centric model, ultimately enhancing patient care, improving operational efficiency, and setting the stage for future growth.

Challenges

Fragmented Patient Data

The existing device-centric model made it difficult to aggregate patient-level metrics and visualize outcomes effectively. The current database contained duplicates.

Unintuitive User Interface

The existing system required multiple screens and redundant data entry, leading to inefficiencies and user frustration.

Limited Scalability

The system was constrained by the number of devices it could support per patient, hindering J&J's ability to adapt to new products and innovations.

The project was driven by these key objectives:

Enhanced Patient Insights: We aimed to provide accurate patient-level reporting and actionable insights to improve care.
Improved User Experience: Streamlining the data collection process and creating an intuitive interface were essential for user satisfaction.
Continuity of Patient Care: A holistic view of patient information was necessary for seamless handovers between teams.
Scalability for Future Growth: We envisioned a flexible system that could support multiple devices per patient and accommodate new Abiomed products.
Operational Efficiencies: It was important to eliminate technical debt and reduce manual processes to free up resources for innovation.
Compliance and Security: Adhering to data security standards and regulatory requirements was paramount.

Agile Collaboration

Throughout the project, we embraced an agile-style methodology, allowing us to develop iteratively and deliver continuous value. We built the foundational patient-centric data model and refined our UI/UX and business processes through multiple rounds of User Acceptance Testing (UAT). Collaboration was key, especially with downstream systems like Tableau, Impella Connect, and Salesforce. We facilitated knowledge-sharing sessions and coordinated testing to ensure alignment with data requirements. This teamwork was crucial for establishing seamless connectivity with Salesforce records.

Intensive Data Quality Effort

We tackled the technical foundation first. Re-architecting the data model was essential, and the Data Quality Team led the effort to establish governance that improved both usability and scalability. The team migrated legacy data to ensure seamless access for reporting and daily operations, then audited records to remove duplicates and errors. Designers introduced new forms that allowed users to review and validate patient and device entries in real time, flagging duplicates for correction. This level of oversight was critical for meeting downstream integration requirements and supporting the Patient-Centric team’s improved workflows.

Accounting for the User

So, how did we bring this vision to life? The project kicked off with a thorough analysis of business requirements. We dove deep into understanding what our users needed through observation and interviews, which led us to streamline data collection and to propose flows and UI to simplify data entry. Early efforts resulted in user-friendly interfaces that provided real-time views of patients on support with enhanced reporting capabilities to display vital metrics during every stage of the heart care process.

The user interface and experience were central to our success.

We conducted stakeholder and user interviews and surveys to gather insights, which informed wireframes and prototypes. Our goal was to create dynamic, single-page dashboard and patient views that minimized redundant data entry and improved navigation to detail.
We iterated on forms for data entry, utilizing best practices alongside what we learned from conversations with field reps and
We proposed and prototyped AI features like Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) to enhance data collection.

Responsive dashboard designs with color codes and improved links to details

Abiomed's dashboard prioritizes tasks providing clarity and focus for Field Reps using iPads in the hospital and Clinical Support Center Specialists operating remotely on desktop after hours (Intentionally blurred).

Ensuring a Smooth Transition

We rolled out the project in phases.

We started with a pilot launch involving a small user group to validate our solution in a controlled environment.
Once we ironed out any issues, we gradually expanded the rollout to different user groups by region and role, providing post-go-live support to stabilize the system.
Of course, we knew that change management was vital for user adoption. We held regular meetings with stakeholders to track progress and address challenges.
Detailed documentation and support materials were also provided to ensure everyone felt confident with the direction the new system.

Reflection

It was a privelege to be part of a project that had the potential to impact the quality of life for heart patients. Looking back on the challenges we faced, we tackled fragmented patient data, an unintuitive user interface, and scalability limitations head-on.

Our teams collaborated to overcome technical hurdles like data model constraints and integration issues, ultimately enhancing the system's functionality. Based on UAT of the prototypes (created in Figma), the outcomes to date are impressive and are projected to have positive impact on the phase one launch.

Outcomes

Intuitive & Informative

The new flows and interfaces promise accurate, accessible patient-level metrics with a unified view of patient outcomes. Patient care planning will be more intuitive.

UI & System Improvements

The redesigned homepage visually prioritizes patients needing immediate attention.
The new interface simplifies navigation, which will save time for our field teams.

Future-Ready

The revised system will be scalable based on components and will readily support any number of devices per patient.
The new design is ready for future innovations.

The Patient-Centric Model project represents a significant first step in modernizing Abiomed’s patient data management. By clearly identifying and then addressing critical challenges, we have proposed a user-friendly solution that will enhance patient care and operational efficiency, laying a strong foundation for future growth and innovation.

— Abiomed Team Lead

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Johnson & Johnson goesPatient-Centric