Translating Emotion into Empathetic Medical Design

Paul Charlebois and Eric Olson are seated across from each other at a white table in a modern office setting. The man on the left has curly brown hair and is wearing a light blue button-up shirt. He is smiling and looking toward the man on the right, who has short gray hair, glasses, and is wearing a dark patterned shirt with a small microphone clipped to his collar. The background is a bright, blurred open-plan office with desks and chairs, creating a soft focus effect behind the subjects. A blue pen and a blurred stack of folders or documents are on the table in the foreground.
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Translating Emotion into Empathetic Medical Design

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What does empathetic medical design really look like in practice? In this episode of Before the Build, Eric and Paul discuss how emotional insight from field research can profoundly impact the design of medical devices, especially when patients are facing some of the hardest moments of their lives.

Paul shares a story from a nuclear medicine facility where radioactive treatments create high-stakes challenges—not just for patients, but for the teams supporting them. From seemingly humorous anecdotes to fleeting moments of deep emotional connection, this episode unpacks how thoughtful field research leads to human-centered, practical improvements in device design.

Observing Patients Means Understanding People

The conversation explores how true empathy requires stepping into the patient’s world—literally. Field research often leads into hospital closets, nuclear medicine wings, and emotionally charged environments. These are the places where designers can truly understand the needs, fears, and limitations patients face every day.

In one striking moment, Paul describes locking eyes with a patient mid-infusion—capturing a mix of hope, fear, and vulnerability. It’s a reminder that good medical design isn’t just about performance or compliance; it’s about preserving dignity and simplifying care.

Why Empathy Drives Better Outcomes

Ultimately, empathetic medical design leads to better adoption, stronger clinician satisfaction, and more effective treatment workflows. When design accounts for emotional and practical realities—not just functional specs—it supports both patients and care providers in meaningful ways.

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