Swift
This started with a mission: to make emergency services faster and more accessible. We helped shape an intuitive, user-focused experience that streamlines critical information and supports first responders in high-pressure situations, turning a vital idea into a tool that truly makes an impact.
If you want to jump to what excites you:
Background
Nearly one in four Americans will need emergency medical services at some point but struggle to afford the care they receive. High costs, unclear pricing, and limited transparency leave patients feeling anxious and unprepared during already stressful emergencies, highlighting the need for a more accessible and patient centered EMS experience.
Solution
We introduced Swift as a non emergency medical transportation platform designed to bridge the gap between affordability, access, and care. The solution connects users with certified EMTs and paramedics for safe rides to urgent care or ER facilities, while clearly communicating costs upfront to reduce financial anxiety. Through a calm, intuitive interface, Swift supports patients during stressful moments, streamlines the rider flow, and offers a more accessible alternative to traditional EMS without sacrificing trust or safety.
I worked collaboratively on the interface design, prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and a calm visual experience. As a team, we aligned on the UI direction in Figma and applied shared best practices to create an intuitive and supportive user flow.
Role
UX Designer
Industry
EMS, Healthcare
Our Deliverables
UI Design, User Research, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Service Mapping
Timeline
One Month
Challenge
Emergency medical services are strained by non critical calls, causing delays, high costs, and inefficient care. The challenge was to design a trusted solution that connects users to appropriate medical support without overburdening the system.
Users are unsure if their situation requires emergency care, often delaying or avoiding treatment.
Urgency Confusion
Cost Avoidance
Accessibility affects all age groups
Cognitive Overload
Operators lack inclusive tools
Swift connects people to the right level of medical care when an ambulance isn’t necessary. Through a simple, guided app experience, users can quickly request appropriate medical transport, making urgent care more accessible, affordable, and stress-free.
We Followed a Human Experienced Focused Process that Follows from Research to a Polished Solution.
Interviews and Data, From Users For Users.
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We examined how people decide to seek medical help in urgent but non-life-threatening situations. Conversations with users revealed confusion around urgency, fear of ambulance costs, and a lack of clear alternatives when quick decisions matter.
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We identified a gap between emergency services and everyday care, where users needed guidance, reassurance, and appropriate medical support without escalating to full EMS response.
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We explored ride-share inspired models and care pathways that balance speed, safety, and trust while reducing strain on emergency systems.
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User flows were designed to minimize cognitive load, guiding users step-by-step through urgency assessment, transport selection, and care confirmation.
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We created a clean, intuitive interface focused on clarity, accessibility, and confidence during high-stress moments.
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Feedback helped refine language, decision points, and flow timing to ensure the experience felt supportive, reliable, and easy to use.
So What Did We Find?
Lets See…
Through our research, we found that many people facing urgent but non emergency medical situations experience uncertainty and stress when deciding how to seek care. Pain, anxiety, and a lack of clear guidance often leave individuals unsure of their next step, especially when traditional emergency options feel overwhelming or unnecessary.
We also learned that cost plays a major role in these decisions. Many patients hesitate to call an ambulance due to high and unpredictable bills, even when they need timely care. At the same time, EMS teams and healthcare systems are strained by non critical calls that divert resources from true emergencies. These insights revealed an opportunity to support patients with clearer, more affordable options while helping emergency systems operate more efficiently and sustainably.
We heard shared concerns around clarity and reassurance in non emergency medical situations, with passengers seeking efficient transport and drivers needing clear context about the condition and destination.
“Finding the right medical facility and getting there as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Passengers
“Understanding the passenger’s condition, knowing the situation is under control, and having clear directions to the correct facility.”
Drivers
Demographics
Ages 18–75+
Urban and suburban residents
Individuals and caregivers
Basic to advanced smartphone users
Mixed medical and accessibility needs
User Needs and Pain Points
Need clear guidance when assessing medical urgency
Need reassurance around safety, cost, and next steps
Need fast, simple interactions during stressful moments
Need accessible language without medical jargon
Need confidence that help will arrive quickly
Need a calm experience that reduces anxiety rather than adds to it
Participant Age Distribution
Why Now?
Healthcare systems are under increasing strain, while patients continue to rely on emergency services for non-critical situations due to a lack of clear alternatives. Rising costs, longer response times, and growing user frustration highlight the need for a more accessible, user-centered way to connect people to appropriate care when timing and trust matter most.
Research Approach
We used qualitative and systems-focused UX methods to understand both patient behavior and EMS constraints. This included secondary research on EMS usage patterns, user interviews focused on decision-making under stress, journey mapping, and service blueprinting to identify gaps between urgency, access, and response.
What We Wanted to Learn
We wanted to understand how people decide to seek medical help in urgent moments and how emergency systems respond, so we could design a solution that supports both without adding confusion or risk.
Where users struggle to assess the severity of their symptoms and choose the right level of care under stress.
Urgency Decision Gaps
How EMS and healthcare providers manage non-critical requests, triage, and resource allocation in real time.
System Workflow Complaints
Where lightweight digital tools can guide users, reduce cognitive load, and improve access to appropriate care without overburdening emergency services.
Opportunities for Digital Support
What Were the Insights?
Clarity and guidance matter most
Users need clear, simple direction when assessing medical urgency, especially in stressful or unfamiliar situations.
Care should not be all-or-nothing
People value alternatives to calling an ambulance and want flexible options that still feel safe and legitimate.
Confidence improves outcomes
Users are more likely to seek timely care when they feel informed, supported, and in control of their next steps.
What We Did With Those Insights
After synthesizing insights from interviews and research, we identified key gaps in how users assess medical urgency and navigate care options under stress. These findings helped us narrow the problem space and define clear priorities around clarity, trust, and speed.
We then moved into low-fidelity wireframes to quickly explore user flows, decision guidance, and information hierarchy. Working in low-fi allowed us to test assumptions, simplify interactions, and refine the experience before moving into higher-fidelity design.
After Our First Round of User Tests…
We refined our concepts around clarity, trust, and speed in high stress medical situations. Clear, plain language helped users assess urgency and make decisions with confidence, while trust building elements like transparent next steps and safety confirmations reassured them throughout the process. A fast, guided request flow validated that simplicity and structure can reduce hesitation and support timely care decisions.
Plain language and step by step guidance helped users quickly assess urgency and make informed care decisions, even in high pressure situations.
Clear Guidance Under Stress
Features like transparent next steps and safety confirmations built confidence and reduced anxiety throughout the experience.
Trust and Reassurance
A streamlined request process minimized hesitation, showing that a simple, guided flow can support quicker and more confident care decisions.
Fast Intuitive Flow
Our Final Concept
Swift is a non emergency medical ride share app designed for people experiencing medical distress who need timely but affordable transportation to care. Through a guided chatbot flow, users are filtered to confirm the situation is non emergent, then connected with trained medical drivers for safe transport to urgent care or ER facilities. By providing immediate access, clear guidance, and transparent costs, Swift helps users get the care they need without the fear of high bills or insurance uncertainty.
Why
We created Swift to address the gap between emergency services and everyday medical needs, as nearly 1 in 4 Americans will need EMS at some point but struggle with cost and access. For urgent yet non life threatening situations, Swift provides clear guidance and affordable medical transportation, helping users get timely care without escalating to emergency response or adding strain to EMS systems.
Our Vision Video
The Swift vision video shows how the app delivers fast, clear, and reassuring non-emergency care through a simple, intuitive experience.
