CLINICAL CONSULT
CLINICAL CONSULT
Note:
This case study has been sanitised to comply with non-disclosure agreement (NDA) restrictions. Logos, brand names, and select visuals have been replaced or modified. The strategic approach, design thinking, and product decisions showcased here are fully representative of the work done, while respecting confidentiality agreements.
Note:
This case study has been sanitised to comply with non-disclosure agreement (NDA) restrictions. Logos, brand names, and select visuals have been replaced or modified. The strategic approach, design thinking, and product decisions showcased here are fully representative of the work done, while respecting confidentiality agreements.
Note:
This case study has been sanitised to comply with non-disclosure agreement (NDA) restrictions. Logos, brand names, and select visuals have been replaced or modified. The strategic approach, design thinking, and product decisions showcased here are fully representative of the work done, while respecting confidentiality agreements.
Context
Context
Fractal Analytics partners with enterprise clients to build AI, data, and decision-support tools at scale. One of its key clients, Venus Vetcare (a pseudonym for NDA reasons), operates in the global animal health space - working to enhance diagnostics and treatment protocols in veterinary care.
Fractal Analytics partners with enterprise clients to build AI, data, and decision-support tools at scale. One of its key clients, Venus Vetcare (a pseudonym for NDA reasons), operates in the global animal health space - working to enhance diagnostics and treatment protocols in veterinary care.
Fractal Analytics partners with enterprise clients to build AI, data, and decision-support tools at scale. One of its key clients, Venus Vetcare (a pseudonym for NDA reasons), operates in the global animal health space - working to enhance diagnostics and treatment protocols in veterinary care.
Our team at Fractal collaborated with Venus Vetcare’s diagnostics group to build Clinical Consult — a no-code rules engine that helped standardize complex medical logic across clinics and lab teams.
Our team at Fractal collaborated with Venus Vetcare’s diagnostics group to build Clinical Consult — a no-code rules engine that helped standardize complex medical logic across clinics and lab teams.
Our team at Fractal collaborated with Venus Vetcare’s diagnostics group to build Clinical Consult — a no-code rules engine that helped standardize complex medical logic across clinics and lab teams.
The Problem
The Problem
For pathologists and veterinary doctors in the pet care space, one of the biggest challenges was accurately diagnosing a condition within a maze of evolving medical logic, scattered documentation, and fragmented lab workflows.
For pathologists and veterinary doctors in the pet care space, one of the biggest challenges was accurately diagnosing a condition within a maze of evolving medical logic, scattered documentation, and fragmented lab workflows.
For pathologists and veterinary doctors in the pet care space, one of the biggest challenges was accurately diagnosing a condition within a maze of evolving medical logic, scattered documentation, and fragmented lab workflows.
There was no central place to simulate outcomes, trace rule changes, or explain how a result was reached - often leaving even experienced clinicians second-guessing the system.
There was no central place to simulate outcomes, trace rule changes, or explain how a result was reached - often leaving even experienced clinicians second-guessing the system.
There was no central place to simulate outcomes, trace rule changes, or explain how a result was reached - often leaving even experienced clinicians second-guessing the system.
In the middle of all this chaos were our two users - Dr. Asthana and Munna - each juggling their own share of the mess. Here’s a quick glimpse into their world.
In the middle of all this chaos were our two users - Dr. Asthana and Munna - each juggling their own share of the mess. Here’s a quick glimpse into their world.
In the middle of all this chaos were our two users - Dr. Asthana and Munna - each juggling their own share of the mess. Here’s a quick glimpse into their world.
🔬Meet Munna, a Pathologist (Lab Technician)
🔬Meet Munna, a Pathologist
(Lab Technician)
He starts his day staring at another round of blood reports. But in reality, he’s decoding riddles.
The numbers are there, but the meaning isn’t. And every answer depends on a phone call
to a super busy Dr. Asthana that may or may not come through.
He starts his day staring at another round of blood reports. But in reality, he’s decoding riddles. The numbers are there, but the meaning isn’t. And every answer depends on a phone call to a super busy Dr. Asthana that may or may not come through.
He starts his day staring at another round of blood reports. But in reality, he’s decoding riddles. The numbers are there, but the meaning isn’t. And every answer depends on a phone call to a super busy Dr. Asthana that may or may not come through.
☎️ And Dr. Asthana? He’s not thrilled.
☎️ And Dr. Asthana?
He’s not thrilled.
Between surgeries, approvals, and emergencies, Dr. Asthana is drowning in requests for basic clarity.
But this back-and-forth isn’t scalable. Or sustainable. What Munna needs is context. What Asthana needs is time.
And what both need is a system that works.
Between surgeries, approvals, and emergencies, Dr. Asthana is drowning in requests for basic clarity. But this back-and-forth isn’t scalable. Or sustainable.
What Munna needs is context.
What Asthana needs is time.
And what both need is a system that works.
Pain Points with the Current Workflow
Pain Points with the
Current Workflow
Too Many Calls, Not Enough Clarity
Most lab reports were sent without interpretations. So when results came in, pathologists had to call up vets just to figure out the clinical context - and then vets called back for clarity on the interpretation.
Too Many Calls, Not Enough Clarity
Most lab reports were sent without interpretations. So when results came in, pathologists had to call up vets just to figure out the clinical context - and then vets called back for clarity on the interpretation.
Too Many Calls, Not Enough Clarity
Most lab reports were sent without interpretations. So when results came in, pathologists had to call up vets just to figure out the clinical context - and then vets called back for clarity on the interpretation.
No Single Source of Diagnostic Truth
Rules were undocumented, living in scattered private documents or in the minds of senior pathologists. There was no centralized system to view, standardize, or build on existing interpretations.
No Single Source of Diagnostic Truth
Rules were undocumented, living in scattered private documents or in the minds of senior pathologists. There was no centralized system to view, standardize, or build on existing interpretations.
No Single Source of Diagnostic Truth
Rules were undocumented, living in scattered private documents or in the minds of senior pathologists. There was no centralized system to view, standardize, or build on existing interpretations.
Inconsistent Decision-Making
Different vets received different interpretations for the same lab patterns. Without standardized logic, diagnosis varied by person - increasing risks and eroding trust in the system.
Inconsistent Decision-Making
Different vets received different interpretations for the same lab patterns. Without standardized logic, diagnosis varied by person - increasing risks and eroding trust in the system.
Inconsistent Decision-Making
Different vets received different interpretations for the same lab patterns. Without standardized logic, diagnosis varied by person - increasing risks and eroding trust in the system.
High Onboarding Overhead
New pathologists struggled to get up to speed. With no system to simulate or preview rule impact, learning the ropes meant trial, error, and frequent back-and-forth with senior doctors.
High Onboarding Overhead
New pathologists struggled to get up to speed. With no system to simulate or preview rule impact, learning the ropes meant trial, error, and frequent back-and-forth with senior doctors.
High Onboarding Overhead
New pathologists struggled to get up to speed. With no system to simulate or preview rule impact, learning the ropes meant trial, error, and frequent back-and-forth with senior doctors.
The Solution: Clinical Consult
The Solution: Clinical Consult
Clinical Consult is a tool built for pathologists (lab technicians) and veterinarian doctors to create, edit, simulate, and manage diagnostic rules. These rules help interpret lab reports for pet cases. The idea was to reduce back-and-forth consulting calls with the doctors and make clinical interpretation streamlined.
Clinical Consult is a tool built for pathologists (lab technicians) and veterinarian doctors to create, edit, simulate, and manage diagnostic rules. These rules help interpret lab reports for pet cases. The idea was to reduce back-and-forth consulting calls with the doctors and make clinical interpretation streamlined.
The Impact
90% reports delivered with clinical interpretation
Standardized rule logic and output formatting enabled pathologists to add meaningful interpretation to the majority of reports, reducing ambiguity for frontline doctors.
90% reports delivered with clinical interpretation
Standardized rule logic and output formatting enabled pathologists to add meaningful interpretation to the majority of reports, reducing ambiguity for frontline doctors.
90% reports delivered with clinical interpretation
Standardized rule logic and output formatting enabled pathologists to add meaningful interpretation to the majority of reports, reducing ambiguity for frontline doctors.
66% drop in consult calls between vets and pathologists
Clearer logic flows and outcome simulation reduced back-and-forth queries, freeing up time for both doctors and lab teams.
66% drop in consult calls between vets and pathologists
Clearer logic flows and outcome simulation reduced back-and-forth queries, freeing up time for both doctors and lab teams.
66% drop in consult calls between vets and pathologists
Clearer logic flows and outcome simulation reduced back-and-forth queries, freeing up time for both doctors and lab teams.
84% adoption by pathologists and doctors within 2 weeks
Designed with their input and use cases in mind, the tool saw quick uptake across practices and labs.
84% adoption by pathologists and doctors within 2 weeks
Designed with their input and use cases in mind, the tool saw quick uptake across practices and labs.
84% adoption by pathologists and doctors within 2 weeks
Designed with their input and use cases in mind, the tool saw quick uptake across practices and labs.
Client Feedback
🎖️ NPS: 10/10 🎖️
🎖️ NPS: 10/10 🎖️
🎖️ NPS: 10/10 🎖️
The design really puts users at ease. It’s approachable, calming even; especially when you’re reviewing multiple reports back to back. Nothing about it feels stressful.
Dr. Kelly
User
The design really puts users at ease. It’s approachable, calming even; especially when you’re reviewing multiple reports back to back. Nothing about it feels stressful.
Dr. Kelly
User
The design really puts users at ease. It’s approachable, calming even; especially when you’re reviewing multiple reports back to back. Nothing about it feels stressful.
Dr. Kelly
User
It’s thoughtfully paced. The interface presents just what I need when I need it — no clutter, no distractions. That clarity helps me focus on the diagnosis.
Dr. Shanna
User
It’s thoughtfully paced. The interface presents just what I need when I need it — no clutter, no distractions. That clarity helps me focus on the diagnosis.
Dr. Shanna
User
It’s thoughtfully paced. The interface presents just what I need when I need it — no clutter, no distractions. That clarity helps me focus on the diagnosis.
Dr. Shanna
User
From the moment I started using it, there was a sense of control I hadn’t felt before. Everything was intuitive, nothing was overwhelming - it just worked.
Nina R
Product Owner
From the moment I started using it, there was a sense of control I hadn’t felt before. Everything was intuitive, nothing was overwhelming - it just worked.
Nina R
Product Owner
From the moment I started using it, there was a sense of control I hadn’t felt before. Everything was intuitive, nothing was overwhelming - it just worked.
Nina R
Product Owner
But how did we achieve this?
The Process
The Process
Research & Synthesis
Research & Synthesis
👥 Conducted team shadowing to understand workflows.
🔁 Identified recurring patterns of diagnostic confusion.
🧪 Mapped how pathologists interpret lab findings across cases.
🤖 Found that 90%+ consults could be automated if logic was well-structured.
👥 Conducted team shadowing to understand workflows.
🔁 Identified recurring patterns of diagnostic confusion.
🧪 Mapped how pathologists interpret lab findings across cases.
🤖 Found that 90%+ consults could be automated if logic was well-structured.
The Strategy
The Strategy
Standardization was the answer. But with nuance.
Not all findings can be reduced to binary logic. We needed:
Standardization was the answer. But with nuance.Not all findings can be reduced to binary logic. We needed:
A flexible rules engine
To accommodate complex clinical scenarios and edge cases.
A flexible rules engine
To accommodate complex clinical scenarios and edge cases.
A flexible rules engine
To accommodate complex clinical scenarios and edge cases.
Simulations to see how rules work
So pathologists could preview logic before going live.
Simulations to see how rules work
So pathologists could preview logic before going live.
Simulations to see how rules work
So pathologists could preview logic before going live.
Clear mapping from findings → interpretations
To eliminate ambiguity and streamline decision-making.
Clear mapping from findings → interpretations
To eliminate ambiguity and streamline decision-making.
Clear mapping from findings → interpretations
To eliminate ambiguity and streamline decision-making.
A visual, non-code interface so pathologists could own the process
Empowering domain experts without relying on dev teams.
A visual, non-code interface so pathologists could own the process
Empowering domain experts without relying on dev teams.
A visual, non-code interface so pathologists could own the process
Empowering domain experts without relying on dev teams.
We broke the solution into two phases:
Rule Builder: Create & edit diagnostic rules.
Rule Simulator: Test how rules trigger for various lab cases.
We broke the solution into two phases:
Rule Builder: Create & edit diagnostic rules.
Rule Simulator: Test how rules trigger for various lab cases.
User Flow
User Flow
Wireframes & Concepts
Wireframes & Concepts
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Style Guide & Components
Style Guide & Components
Learnings
Standardization ≠ Rigidity
Creating rule-based systems taught us that structure must leave room for nuance. Clinical logic doesn’t always follow binaries - flexibility had to be built into every layer.
Standardization ≠ Rigidity
Creating rule-based systems taught us that structure must leave room for nuance. Clinical logic doesn’t always follow binaries - flexibility had to be built into every layer.
Standardization ≠ Rigidity
Creating rule-based systems taught us that structure must leave room for nuance. Clinical logic doesn’t always follow binaries - flexibility had to be built into every layer.
Visual Simulations Build Trust
Showing how rules behave through simulation was a game-changer. It shifted the tool from being “just another form” to something interactive, verifiable, and clinically dependable.
Visual Simulations Build Trust
Showing how rules behave through simulation was a game-changer. It shifted the tool from being “just another form” to something interactive, verifiable, and clinically dependable.
Visual Simulations Build Trust
Showing how rules behave through simulation was a game-changer. It shifted the tool from being “just another form” to something interactive, verifiable, and clinically dependable.
Parallel Paths Unlock Speed
We ran concepting and low-fidelity exploration in parallel with stakeholder discovery. This overlap helped us validate direction early - cutting the traditional wait-time between research sign-off and design kickoff.
Parallel Paths Unlock Speed
We ran concepting and low-fidelity exploration in parallel with stakeholder discovery. This overlap helped us validate direction early - cutting the traditional wait-time between research sign-off and design kickoff.
Parallel Paths Unlock Speed
We ran concepting and low-fidelity exploration in parallel with stakeholder discovery. This overlap helped us validate direction early - cutting the traditional wait-time between research sign-off and design kickoff.
Design Without the Dictionary
Many stakeholders weren’t design-savvy - and that was okay. We dropped the “lo-fi / hi-fi” talk and focused on language that made sense to them. Trust came easier when the process felt accessible.
Design Without the Dictionary
Many stakeholders weren’t design-savvy - and that was okay. We dropped the “lo-fi / hi-fi” talk and focused on language that made sense to them. Trust came easier when the process felt accessible.
Design Without the Dictionary
Many stakeholders weren’t design-savvy - and that was okay. We dropped the “lo-fi / hi-fi” talk and focused on language that made sense to them. Trust came easier when the process felt accessible.
