Inspiration
Understanding lab results is a difficult process. Generally, the everyday man will have to look up every single lab test individually to understand what the lab test is looking for, what the results mean, why it was done, and what the next step should be. It's made especially difficult since there may be too many resources online that it makes it overwhelming and daunting to look up each and every test (especially when the average comprehensive medical panel already contains 14 tests! Self-advocacy and knowledge is key in one's own health!
What it does
The LabLearn app makes it easier to look up any lab test all in one place. For example, if a person looks up iron, it would explain the importance of the iron lab test and and what a high and low result might mean. Additionally, it would include how it's tested for, as well as anything that might interfere with the test. For example, consuming an iron supplement shortly before the test could inaccurately elevate the result, impeding the healthcare process.
How we built it
The project was built using SwiftUI for the front-end interface and Swift for the backend functionality. We leveraged the UIKit framework to integrate interactive elements and ensure a seamless user experience.
Challenges we ran into
One of the major challenges we encountered was focusing on just one problem we wanted to solve and finding a doable way to approach it. Additionally, designing an intuitive user interface that caters to an audience with varying levels of health literacy posed its own set of challenges. For example, we didn't know how complex our app should be. One lab result does not tell the whole story. Therefore, it's important to explain one test in the context of all other tests. However, for now, we decided to focus on creating a platform that enables the everyday man to understand general information of different lab tests.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We're proud of being able to create an app using Swift for the first time. We're proud of the solution we developed, considering it was the first time we created an app with Swift, and believe it has the potential to make a meaningful impact on patient education and healthcare outcomes.
What we learned
Throughout the development process, we delved into various aspects of healthcare, laboratory testing procedures, and data interpretation. We gained valuable insights into the complexities of medical diagnostics and the importance of clear communication in patient care. Moreover, We honed our technical skills in app development, data visualization, and user experience design.
What's next for LabLearn
Moving forward, we're excited to further refine and expand upon this project to better serve the needs of individuals seeking to understand their health data. We hope to complete the database for the laboratory tests and continue to add many other tests. We also hope to make the app more user-friendly, as well as add more features. It would also be a good idea to add a specific medical condition someone might be interested in testing for, and the app would show and explain the various diagnostic lab tests that could be tested for.
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