Lung cancer is never a good experience

Tehnopol • HealthTech
Improving patient care for complex diseases like lung cancer requires more than medical expertise — it demands collaboration and empathy. The project is a powerful example of how deep stakeholder engagement and user-centered design can drive meaningful change.
At Brand Manual, this project was an emotional rollercoaster, but also one of the most impactful we’ve ever undertaken. Our focus was on truly understanding the experiences of patients and their families, uncovering the challenges they face, and translating these into actionable insights.
Each year, around 800 Estonians are diagnosed with lung cancer, facing not just medical hurdles but also fragmented information systems, emotional strain, and gaps in support. Our mission was to map their journey from symptoms to treatment and beyond, identifying critical areas for improvement.
Conducting in-depth interviews with patients and their families revealed the emotional and logistical struggles they endure. Collaborative workshops brought together hospitals, patient organisations, healthcare providers, and big pharmas to align perspectives. From this, we crafted a detailed journey map to pinpoint overlaps and gaps between patient needs and the healthcare system.
Our work outlined 15 opportunities for improvement, from better diagnosis delivery processes to clearer communication and support platforms. These findings have already inspired new initiatives, including a patient-friendly dashboard and tools for more cohesive data sharing.
This project highlights the power of collaboration and patient-centered design in healthcare. By engaging diverse stakeholders and immersing ourselves in patients’ realities, we’ve helped create a foundation for systemic improvement. Together with Tehnopol’s HealthTech cluster, we’ve shown how service design can bridge gaps in healthcare, making a real difference for patients and their families.
This project brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including various service designers, journalists, hospitals, patient organizations, pharmaceutical companies, and government bodies, all united in improving the patient journey, thank you all – ReThink, Regina Tagger, Justin Petrone, Pfizer, Roche, MSD, AstraZeneca, Tervisekassa, Sotsiaalministeerium, TÜ Kliinikum, PERH, ITK, Tartu Linn, Saaremaa Vähiühing, MTÜ Pallium, Pärnu haigla, Viljandimaa Vähihaigete Tugirühm, Eesti Kopsuliit, Eesti Noored Perearstid, Lääne-Tallinna Keskhaigla, Tervise Arengu Instituut.
Another good case study on the project from Justin Petrone:
https://researchinestonia.eu/2024/08/26/lung-cancer-study/
Work in progress. Photos by Justin Petrone and Paulin Jürjens.


