Healthcare Design Principles
- Clarity saves lives. Ambiguous labels in medical contexts are dangerous.
- Accessibility is critical. Patients range from elderly to visually impaired to non-native speakers.
- Privacy by design. HIPAA compliance is the floor. Design for dignity.
- Reduce cognitive load. Sick people can't process complex interfaces.
- Offline capability. Healthcare settings often have unreliable connectivity.
Patterns
- Medication lists: Drug name, dosage, frequency, time. Clear visual separation.
- Appointment scheduling: Calendar with available slots, confirmation + reminder.
- Lab results: Normal range indicators, trend over time, plain-language explanation.
- Emergency information: Always accessible, no login required.
Typography
- Minimum 16px body text (often 18px for patient-facing).
- High contrast ratios (WCAG AAA for critical information).
- Never use red/green as only differentiator (color blindness).