Designing the allergy patient
journey for better care
information design – ethnology – service design
Allergic rhinitis patient
journey research & design
Date
– 2023
Client
– Stallergenes Greer
Role
– information design
– ethnology
– service design
In 2023, I collaborated with Stallergenes, a leader in curative allergy treatments, on a cross-European research project mapping the patient journey of individuals with allergic rhinitis.
Allergy is now the fourth most common disease worldwide, after cancer, cardiovascular disease, and HIV/AIDS. According to the World Health Organization, one in two people will suffer from an allergy within the next few years, making this study both urgent and highly relevant.
Working alongside ethnologist Léa Ahmed, we conducted a qualitative study across France, Germany, and Italy. This included:
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105 patients with diverse backgrounds.
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21 healthcare professionals across specialties.
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Semi-structured interviews (up to two hours each, online).
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Pre-interview homework assignments, helping patients reflect on their care experiences in advance.
The resulting report shed light on:
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Key milestones of the care and life journey.
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Tension points and emotional dynamics.
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Healthcare professional practices and perceptions.
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Barriers to accessing allergen immunotherapy (AIT).
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“Moments of truth” shaping patient experiences.
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Personas and verbatims to ground insights in lived realities.
Beyond conducting interviews and structuring insights, I also took on the challenge of translating complex notions into impactful visuals. I designed the care journey as if it were a “choose your own adventure” story, where each branch revealed the decision points faced by patients and doctors. This narrative visualization made the invisible visible: it exposed moments where time is lost, the turning points in medical decision-making, and the alternative routes patients may encounter.
In addition, I created an emotional curve that traces the psychological states patients experience throughout their care journey, highlighting peaks of hope and valleys of uncertainty. This tool not only visualized what patients go through, but also provided concrete guidance on how to better support them at each stage.
