Developing a hospital-integrated ecosystem of support and well-being for oncology staff
GROUNDSWELL CASE STUDY
ROLE
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Experience Designer
Project Coordinator
Product & Service Strategist
SKILLS
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Timeline Management
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Research Synthesis
Copywriting
Visual Problem Solving
Iterative Testing
Feedback Integration
Data Visualization
TEAM
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Designers
Fabricators & Engineers
Hospital Staff
Hospital Administrations
Subject Matter Experts
Donators
CONTEXT
From a graduate-level project to a grant-funded quality improvement pilot
Groundswell began as a graduate-level course project and evolved into a grant-funded initiative with UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. The program integrates multiple touchpoints to support oncology staff well-being: redesigned patient death notifications, print- and digital-based guided restorative resources, a restorative pod, and a community messaging wall.
I co-led the initiative from concept through execution, aligning stakeholders, managing timelines, and adapting solutions to hospital requirements and constraints.
PROBLEM SPACE
Oncology staff experience constant burnout despite existing support structures
Research shows that healthcare professionals operate under prolonged emotional strain, placing them at elevated risk for psychological distress.
Support was present but misaligned. They were dispersed across informal rituals and institutional programs, with no unified model for sustained restoration.
SOLUTION OVERVIEW
Integrating restoration into daily routines
Groundswell is a multi-component restorative system embedded into hospital workflows.
RESEARCH
We found that emotional processing is often unsupported in oncology care
Interviews, shadowing, and workshops revealed staff carry cumulative emotional weight without time or space to process.
Synthesizing research and mapping insights identified four key opportunities, informing the design and operational structure of each Groundswell component.
PROJECT COORDINATION AND STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT
Collaboration across cross-functional teams within fixed timelines
We structured work around fixed milestones and tailored stakeholder communication to ensure efficient approvals, accurate fabrication, and on-time delivery.
We created a journey map to visualize the full Groundswell experience, which became a shared reference point for administrators and staff to understand how each component worked together.
KEY CHALLENGES
Balancing intent with hospital constraints
Challenge #1: Finding the Right Voice
Through collaboration with artists, subject matter experts, and administration, we established a visual and written language that met institutional standards while resonating with staff.
Challenge #2: Repurposing Existing Infrastructures
Working closely with hospital administration and operations, we explored multiple spaces to find a location convenient for all oncology departments. We settled on a nook where old telephone booths had once been, adapting the building’s structure.
Challenge #3: Maintaining Staff Privacy
Hospital administration required the Pod be reserved for Women’s Cancer Services staff and include doors. We addressed these requirements by adding locks, lighting, and other features, creating a private, restorative space that fit within hospital operations.
Challenge #4: Managing Time-Limited Use
Administration mandated Pod use be limited to 10 minutes to prevent misuse while preserving its restorative purpose. We included subtle interior cues, such as lighting, timers, and instructional elements, to help staff take brief breaks effectively without compromising the space’s sacredness.
Challenge #5: Maintaining Workflow Continuity
To ensure clinical duties remained uninterrupted, we developed “Pod Cards” allowing staff to hand off coverage when using the Pod. This maintained operational workflow while fostering a culture of support and shared responsibility among team members.
FINAL SOLUTION
The Groundswell ecosystem integrates both design and operational thinking to deliver a cohesive experience
Integrated Within Hospital Operations
The Groundswell Pod was embedded into existing clinical workflows and hospital architecture. A redesigned CTB email invites engagement, the adjacent community wall extends reflection beyond the Pod, and spatial placement ensures accessibility across departments.
Sacred, Intentional Space
The Groundswell Pod interior supports focused restoration through guided reflection cards, finger labyrinths, and a QR-linked mindfulness library. Ambient backlighting and soft white noise create a calm, contained environment within a clinical setting.
Guided, Time-Aware Experience
To maintain operational continuity, the experience is structured around brief, supported use. An hourglass and color-shifting backlights signal the 10-minute limit, while occupancy lighting and Pod Cards enable respectful handoffs between staff.
ITERATIVE TESTING
Testing the pod experience to ensure clarity, comfort, and confidence
Early feedback revealed uncertainty about correct use, signaling a gap in communication. We refined instructional language and simplified tone, resulting in increased confidence and engagement in follow-up sessions.
IMPACT AND NEXT STEPS
Launch day was well-received, with positive feedback from staff
On launch day, speeches were given, tears were shed, and hands rested on hearts. The project continues to serve as a living pilot within Women’s Cancer Services at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.
This prototype is being evaluated in a 12-month quality improvement study. In collaboration with UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, we are collecting data through pod usage, message wall interactions, national surveys, and interviews.
REFLECTION
What made Groundswell successful wasn’t just the idea, it was how we implemented it
We tailored communication to different stakeholders, started with small, achievable steps, and worked within institutional constraints rather than against them. That balance between care and operations is what allowed the initiative to gain trust and grow sustainably.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Groundswell is a collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University School of Design; the University of Pittsburgh Schools of Medicine and Nursing, and the Gynecologic Oncology staff at Magee.
This project was made possible through the support of many individuals.
We are especially grateful to the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Services and the incredible staff at Magee, who made this project possible. We also thank the College of Fine Arts at CMU; the UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Medical Staff Fund; and the Paul D. Schurgot Foundation for their generous support.
Groundswell would not exist without an extraordinary community of artisans and donors. The restorative pod was made possible by NookPod’s gift of the structure; Greg Baltus from Hardware Assembly’s remarkable design, engineering, and fabrication skills; and components from Schlage, Density, Dixie&Grace, Z9 Machinings, and EHC Industries. Ryan Thompson made the walnut tabletop from wood donated by Eleanor Mackie Pigma. Catherine Liggett voiced meditations. Generous donations from Deborah Linhart, Pamela Meadowcroft, and Marge Petruska enabled us to distribute a set of restorative cards to every employee participating in this study—special thanks to Mark Baskinger for creative support and encouragement.
Shoutout to Carolyn Gavin for her wonderful artwork. Special thanks to Mark Staley, Kevin Lorenzi, and Michael Juan for donating their talents to help champion Groundswell.
We are grateful to Maggie Breslin (Patient Revolution), Stephanie Ciranni (CancerBridges), Dr. Adam Cowart, Pete Wendel, Christina Worsing, Craig Vogel, and Dr. Jenny Yu and Dria Barnes (Sixth House Advisory for Project Design OS) for their insights and feedback in the project’s early stages.
Thank you to my UPMC colleagues Dr. Sarah Taylor, Dr. Grace Campbell, Dr. Heidi Donovan, and Kendyll Grant.
Special thanks to Kristin Hughes, my mentor throughout the project, and to Lorin Anderberg, my collaborator and partner in bringing this project into UPMC. I am also grateful to Robertus Sucahyo and Kelly McDowell for their support in the early stages.
To everyone who contributed, thank you.
NEXT PROJECT
Supporting health projects that help people understand their experiences
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