Empowering On-the-Go Surgeons with a Custom Mobile App

Conformis

Conformis manufactures customized knee and hip replacements. The company helps patients find local surgeons that specialize in Conformis personalized joint replacement procedures. Based on the results of each patient's CT scan, Conformis builds an iView: a surgical plan with precisely tailored dimensions that match the patient’s bone and joint structure. Once surgeons review and approve pre-operative plans (iViews), the joint replacement manufacturing process begins.

The Challenge

Conformis’ existing web app allowed surgeons to preview iViews—but only via desktop computers. The company needed to design and build a mobile app that would allow on-the-go surgeons to review iViews for their upcoming hip or knee cases, as well as expose other surgeons to Conformis content from their mobile devices.

Since this was the company's first mobile app, there were concerns about the cost and complexity of building separate native mobile apps for iOS and Android. Conformis also wanted to ensure the creation of a mobile app that would be consistent with its brand guidelines and optimized for both phones and tablets.

The Solution

Conformis partnered with Gnar to build a React Native iViewer mobile app. React Native allows platform-specific versions of components, so a single codebase can share code across platforms. By using React Native, one engineer can maintain two platforms, because they share share a common technology: React.

We began our engagement with Conformis with our Design and Discovery process, which allowed us to better understand the user personas, their user journeys, and key app features we’d need to build. We designed a custom integration that connected the iViewer mobile app with Conformis’ internal ordering platform for authentication and access to surgical iViews. This also ensured HIPAA compliance in order to protect patients’ privacy.

In addition to building the app, as usual, we had it reviewed, approved and posted to the Apple App and Google Play stores.

The Results

The mobile app we built allows Conformis surgeons to easily review knee and hip iViews from anywhere. What’s more, we added functionality that enables them to access Conformis surgical technique videos, contact their local sales rep or Conformis customer service, and invite colleagues to download the app.

Non-Conformis surgeons, too, can create accounts using the mobile app, via which they can access sample iViews and other Conformis content. This makes the app not just a useful platform for Conformis users, but a powerful business development tool.

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