Health Tech

B2B

Clinical Decision Support

Applied AI

Designing a calm ML decision-support tool for liver disease in low-resource clinics

Designing a calm ML decision-support tool for liver disease in low-resource clinics

Role

Role

Product &
UX Designer

Product &
UX Designer

Duration

Duration

3 Months

3 Months

Scope

Scope

UX Research
Interaction Design
Visual Design
ML Decision-Support UX

UX Research
Interaction Design
Visual Design
ML Decision-Support UX

*The underlying ML model was research-based and not deployed in production

*Redesign completed independently to explore how such a system could function as a real clinical decision-support tool.

Underlying ML model achieved

Underlying ML model achieved

~77%

~77%

accuracy in early disease severity detection

accuracy in early disease severity detection

Redesigned flow improved usability by

Redesigned flow improved usability by

~60%

~60%

during internal evaluation

during internal evaluation

In semi-urban clinics, doctors and lab technicians work under time pressure, limited infrastructure, and high cognitive load. While machine-learning models can help detect liver disease early, they only add value if clinicians can understand, trust, and act on the results.

This project began with an accurate ML prototype that technically worked but failed to fit real clinical workflows. My role was to redesign the experience so the model functioned as a practical decision-support tool, not just a prediction engine.

Before

Before

After

After

Real-world constraints

Real-world constraints

Semi-urban clinics with intermittent connectivity and 5–10 minute consultations

Semi-urban clinics with intermittent connectivity and 5–10 minute consultations

Core gap

Core gap

The ML model was accurate, but clinicians couldn’t confidently interpret or act on the output

The ML model was accurate, but clinicians couldn’t confidently interpret or act on the output

Design focus

Design focus

Reframe prediction into a clear, defensible clinical decision-support experience

Reframe prediction into a clear, defensible clinical decision-support experience

The Problem

The Problem

——————————————

In 2022, our team built an accurate liver disease prediction model but the interface felt like a technical demo, not a clinical tool.

In 2022, our team built an accurate liver disease prediction model but the interface felt like a technical demo, not a clinical tool.

  • Binary “yes/no” predictions with no explanation

  • Binary “yes/no” predictions with no explanation

  • Long, unstructured data entry

  • Long, unstructured data entry

  • No guidance on what to do next

  • No guidance on what to do next

  • Designed for ideal infrastructure, not real clinics

  • Designed for ideal infrastructure, not real clinics

The model

worked.
The product

didn’t.

The model

worked.
The product

didn’t.

What synthesis revealed

What synthesis revealed

——————————————

When I reviewed the original prototype and mapped clinician feedback against real clinic workflows, a clear pattern emerged.

When I reviewed the original prototype and mapped clinician feedback against real clinic workflows, a clear pattern emerged.

Trust

Trust

Clinicians needed to understand why a patient was high risk

Clinicians needed to understand why a patient was high risk

Time

Time

Dense screens disrupted clinical workflows

Dense screens disrupted clinical workflows

Action

Action

Predictions without clear next steps weren’t actionable

Predictions without clear next steps weren’t actionable

The reframing the problem

The reframing the problem

The problem wasn’t prediction accuracy.

It was decision uncertainty.

The problem wasn’t prediction accuracy.

It was decision uncertainty.

The problem wasn’t prediction accuracy.

It was decision uncertainty.

——————————————

Design question

Design question

How might liver disease prediction feel less like a model and more like a clinical companion?

How might liver disease prediction feel less like a model and more like a clinical companion?

How might liver disease prediction feel less like a model and more like a clinical companion?

The trade-off

The trade-off

I chose

clarity over

feature

breadth.

I chose

clarity over

feature

breadt.

I chose clarity over feature breadth.

Deferred

Deferred

  • EMR integrations

  • Advanced analytics

  • EMR integrations

  • Advanced analytics

Built now

01

Explanation-rich results

02

Guided data entry

03

Interpretation support

04

Embedded follow-up actions

Built now

01

01

Explanation-rich results

02

02

Guided data entry

03

03

Interpretation support

04

04

Embedded follow-up actions

Designing for real clinical decisions means supporting uncertainty, not just prediction.

Designing for real clinical decisions means supporting uncertainty, not just prediction.

——————————————

Design tension

Design tension

Adding a chatbot was initially uncomfortable it risked feeling excessive but removing it revealed that clinicians had no place to resolve interpretation questions without leaving the flow.

Adding a chatbot was initially uncomfortable it risked feeling excessive but removing it revealed that clinicians had no place to resolve interpretation questions without leaving the flow.

This led me to focus on three moments where clinicians typically hesitate.

This led me to focus on three moments where clinicians typically hesitate.

01

01

Explainable Prediction
Making risk defensible

Problem

Problem

Binary predictions highlighted abnormal values but gave no context clinicians could trust or explain.

Solution

Solution

The prediction view intentionally surfaces only abnormal values to reduce noise, while clearly communicating risk level and contributing factors so clinicians can quickly understand what matters and why.

02

02

In-Context Chatbot
Resolving uncertainty on demand

Problem

Problem

  • Clinicians often needed to understand normal ranges, value significance, or implications that weren’t visible on the main screen.

  • Static explanations would have cluttered the interface and slowed workflows.

Solution

Solution

The chatbot acts as an on-demand interpretation layer allowing clinicians to ask about any value, definition, or threshold without leaving the flow or overloading the UI.

03

03

Embedded Appointment Booking
Turning insight into access

Problem

Problem

In remote and semi-urban clinics, identifying risk isn’t enough access to the right specialist is often the real bottleneck.

Solution

Solution

Appointment booking is embedded directly into the decision flow, helping clinicians connect patients with appropriate specialists immediately, rather than relying on fragmented or offline referrals.

Outcome

Prediction became a decision, not an endpoint

Prediction became a decision, not an endpoint

Interpretation and follow-up were built directly into the flow.

Interpretation and follow-up were built directly into the flow.

The experience became one calm, linear path

The experience became one calm, linear path

Lower information density, fewer steps, and less cognitive load per screen.

Lower information density, fewer steps, and less cognitive load per screen.

Usability improved by ~60% in internal evaluations

Usability improved by ~60% in internal evaluations

Reframed the system from a research demo into practical clinical decision support.

Reframed the system from a research demo into practical clinical decision support.

In healthcare,

clarity isn’t a

feature.
It’s the product.

In healthcare,

clarity isn’t a

feature.
It’s the product.

Key takeaway

Key takeaway

What surprised me most was how quickly confidence returned once uncertainty was designed out.

What surprised me most was how quickly confidence returned once uncertainty was designed out.

Reference

Reference

Images from Unsplash.com and ChatGPT.

Images from Unsplash.com and ChatGPT.

ksh.

Copyright

© 2026 Harita Kancheepuram Sundararajan

Let’s Create Something Amazing together,
say hello anytime!

ksh.

Copyright

© 2026 Harita Kancheepuram Sundararajan

.

Let’s Create Something Amazing together,
say hello anytime!

ksh.

Copyright

© 2026 Harita Kancheepuram Sundararajan

.

Let’s Create Something Amazing together,
say hello anytime!