MedSync
Communication is Care
Yuri Shin
In medical environments without on-site physicians, nurses are often the central observers of patient health and the primary link to the care team. Yet their observations are verbally passed, filtered through a middleman, and lost during shift changes. As one nurse I interviewed described, "Most of what I say is just a reminder." This project asks: How might we enhance communication between doctors and nurses in environments without on-site physicians?
MedSync is a communication system designed to support nurses in these facilities, specifically those operating without full-time physicians or advanced EHR integrations. It offers a more structured, traceable, and emotionally supported way to share patient information asynchronously.
MedSync was developed through interviews with 11 nurses who described frustration, invisibility, and hesitation when communicating with doctors. Many were unsure whether their messages were delivered to doctors, and felt uncomfortable reporting due to a fear of being judged or ignored. One nurse put it in this way. "There's no feedback loop." It revealed that the problem includes missing data, emotional labor, and broken trust systems.
MedSync consists of three components:
Care Note
Care Note – Nurses log their observations on a digital pad through handwriting or typing. A pre-set template for common clinical cases offers structured guidelines. These digitized notes support clarity and lower the emotional barrier, making it easier for nurses to start and complete their reports quickly and accurately. Also, it will deliver all the notes collected throughout the day to a doctor at a set time, which is efficient.
Daily Digest – Doctors will receive a link to the notes of the day written by multiple nurses. They can mark each item as reviewed, on hold, or needing follow-up. No more scattered messages from multiple channels. Nurses then see the status of each message, ensuring follow-through.
String Between Us – A public engagement workshop that helps the care team reflect on their communication styles, preferences, and power hierarchies. This work will open up the spontaneous conversations within the team, furthermore, break the invisible barriers.
By considering the current workflow and systemic constraints, MedSync ensures that what nurses observe leads to timely, trusted action.
Yuri Shin
Yuri is a product designer passionate about creating accessible and inclusive interactions. Based in NYC, she approaches problem-solving through systems thinking, empathy, and attention to detail. From nursing to design, her work has always centered around people.
