Presentation
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZXOTom1s22OlwzGb44ZAWU_tEnAK8Is4/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117477515645006221231&rtpof=true&sd=true

Framing the Problem

Managing medication can be difficult, especially for people who take multiple prescriptions or need medication several times a day. Many people forget to take their medication, miss doses, or forget to reorder their prescriptions before they run out. This can lead to worsening health conditions and unnecessary stress.

People also often struggle to find reliable information about their medications. Searching online can lead to misinformation, making it difficult to know which side effects are normal and when medical advice should be sought. Although this information is usually given with the medication in a document, it gets tedious to have multiple loose pieces of paper with tiny text to browse through when you need to reference them.

In addition, many people experience mental health difficulties but are unsure where to find trustworthy guidance or when they should seek professional support. Sometimes recognising if you need the help is the hardest part of approaching it.

Our project aims to bring these features together into one simple, accessible application that helps users manage their medication while providing reliable health information from trusted sources.

Idea Explanation

Our solution is Healr, a healthcare companion application designed to support users with medication management, prescription tracking and mental wellbeing.

Users can create an account containing their basic information and then add their medications, including dosage, frequency and prescription dates. The application schedules reminders so users are notified when it is time to take their medication and when they should reorder their prescription.

When a medication is entered, the application retrieves trusted information from the openFDA API, displaying side effects, warnings, active ingredients and other important information. Users can also log any side effects they experience, allowing them to build a personal medication history over time.

Healr also includes a mental health chatbot that asks structured wellbeing questions and provides supportive guidance based on trusted NHS and NICE guidance. The chatbot does not diagnose users but encourages them to seek professional help where appropriate.

A built-in first aid section provides clear guidance for common emergencies, making the application a useful everyday healthcare companion.

Implementation

Healr is built as a full-stack web application.

The frontend is developed using React, TypeScript and Tailwind CSS, creating a responsive and accessible user interface. Users interact with pages for medication reminders, prescriptions, medical history, mental health support and first aid guidance.

The frontend communicates with the backend through API requests. When users add or edit medications, reminder information or wellbeing check-ins, requests are sent to the backend where the data is processed and stored.

The backend manages authentication, business logic and communication with external services. It retrieves medication information from the openFDA API, including side effects, warnings and medicine descriptions.

User data is stored securely in a Supabase PostgreSQL database, which contains information such as user accounts, prescriptions, reminder schedules, medication history, side effect logs and mental health check-ins.

Notifications are generated from reminder schedules, while email reminders can also be sent for medication times and prescription reorders.

Overall architecture:

• React frontend

• Backend API

• Supabase PostgreSQL database

• openFDA API for medication information

• NHS and NICE guidance used for mental health resources

• Browser notifications and email reminders

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was deciding how to provide trustworthy medical information without generating inaccurate advice. We initially considered training an AI chatbot using medical data but realised this would not guarantee reliable responses especially in our time crunch.

Instead, we changed our approach so that the chatbot retrieves information from trusted healthcare sources such as NHS guidance and NICE recommendations, while medication information comes directly from the openFDA API.

Another challenge was designing a system that combines multiple features without becoming confusing for users. We addressed this by organising the application into clear sections with consistent navigation, accessible colours and simple layouts.

Planning the database structure was also challenging because reminders, medications, users and side effect logs all relate to one another. Creating a relational database with appropriate foreign keys allowed us to organise the information efficiently.
Additionally we had a couple challenges while trying to focus on one task at a time however with dedicated team work we were able to achieve and accomplish all our goals..

Accomplishments

Throughout this project we learned how different technologies can work together to create a modern healthcare application.

We gained experience designing relational databases, integrating third-party APIs, planning frontend and backend communication, and considering accessibility throughout the design process.

We also learned the importance of using trusted healthcare information rather than relying entirely on AI-generated responses. By combining openFDA medication data with NHS and NICE guidance, we designed a solution that prioritises user safety and reliability.

Our biggest accomplishment was creating a comprehensive healthcare companion that combines medication reminders, prescription management, medication information, side effect tracking, mental health support and first aid guidance within a single application.

Next Steps

One improvement would be implementing barcode and OCR scanning so users can quickly add medications by scanning either the medicine packaging or an NHS prescription label.

Another major feature would be the introduction of caregiver accounts. This would allow family members, carers or healthcare professionals to manage multiple patients from a single account. Caregivers could monitor medication schedules, view whether medications have been marked as taken or missed, receive notifications if a dose is skipped, and keep track of prescription expiry dates. This would be particularly beneficial for elderly patients, children and individuals with long-term health conditions who may need additional support managing their medication.

We would also like to develop a dedicated mobile application with native push notifications that work even when the application is closed.

Future versions could integrate wearable devices to monitor health data and provide personalised insights based on medication schedules.

Additional accessibility features such as voice commands, multilingual support and larger accessibility options would make the application available to a wider audience.

Business Growth Strategy

Healr’s growth strategy focuses on building a sustainable healthcare platform that begins with a targeted NHS pilot and expands into a wider healthcare ecosystem. Rather than relying on a single healthcare partner, Healr aims to develop multiple revenue streams through partnerships with healthcare providers, insurers and international organisations.

Phase 1: NHS Pilot (Year 1)

The first stage of Healr’s growth strategy is to validate the platform through a small-scale NHS pilot.

The aim is to work with a single NHS trust, healthcare organisation or supported healthcare programme to test the effectiveness of Healr in improving medication management and patient engagement.

During this phase, Healr will focus on:

• Testing medication reminder effectiveness

• Measuring improvements in medication adherence

• Gathering feedback from patients and healthcare professionals

• Improving accessibility and user experience

• Demonstrating the value of digital medication support

The initial pilot would focus on proving that Healr can reduce missed medication, improve patient confidence and support healthcare professionals.

At this stage, Healr would prioritise adoption and impact rather than revenue generation.

Phase 2: NHS-Wide Scaling (Years 2–3)

Following a successful pilot, Healr would expand across additional NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).

The platform would continue to remain free or low-cost for patients, allowing wider accessibility while healthcare organisations support adoption.

Growth during this phase would involve:

• Expanding partnerships with NHS organisations

• Supporting larger patient groups

• Building stronger clinical evidence

• Improving infrastructure to support more users

• Developing healthcare professional dashboards

This stage establishes Healr as a trusted healthcare tool within the NHS ecosystem.

Phase 3: Private Healthcare and Insurance Partnerships (Year 5)

Once Healr has demonstrated value within healthcare systems, the company can expand into private healthcare markets.

A second revenue stream would be created through licensing Healr to:

• Private healthcare providers

• Health insurance companies

• Care organisations

Potential premium features could include:

• Advanced medication analytics

• Caregiver management systems

• Patient monitoring dashboards

• Healthcare provider reporting tools

This creates a sustainable business model while keeping the core patient experience accessible.

Phase 4: International Expansion (Years 7–10)

After establishing Healr within the UK healthcare market, the platform could expand internationally.

The application could be adapted for different healthcare systems by:

• Supporting different medical guidelines

• Integrating with local healthcare providers

• Translating the platform into different languages

• Adjusting regulatory compliance requirements

International expansion would allow Healr to support more patients globally while creating additional business opportunities.

Long-Term Vision

Healr aims to become a resilient, mission-led healthcare technology company.

The long-term goal is to create a healthcare platform that remains patient-focused while developing sustainable partnerships across public and private healthcare sectors.

By combining NHS collaboration, private healthcare partnerships and international expansion, Healr can reduce reliance on a single organisation while continuing to improve medication management and healthcare accessibility for users worldwide.