Brace Packaging | 2022-2023

Designers: PDR, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Manufacturer: R&D Surgical Ltd., Cardiff, United Kingdom

Pectus carinatum, (also known as pigeon chest) affects millions of children globally, and treatment involves extended compression of the breastbone to allow correct alignment. Brace is a new revolutionary design that replaces old, metal, uncomfortable, and stigmatizing designs with a new approach to treatment. The packaging of Brace is designed to be a fundamental part of a new user experience and approach to clinical care for teenage patients. It goes past mere protection and delivery functionality to be a vital part of a complete change to the way the condition is treated and handled within a healthcare system that is in empathy with teenage subjects to provide better clinical outcomes.  

Stigmatization and anxiety in teenage patients suffering from pigeon chest are exaggerated by frequent visits to clinical practice settings for compression device fitting and adjustment. The new Brace system takes a holistic approach that allows fitting, support, and downstream adjustment at home whilst maintaining simple and effective clinical oversight. Fully recyclable packaging received through the standard post supports a step-by-step user-centered patient journey and elevated experience that is sympathetic to the needs of teenagers. The Brace bears little resemblance to traditional clinical experiences, whilst dramatically reducing healthcare system loading. The form and aesthetics are deliberately aimed at breaking away from traditional medical device aesthetics. The use of paper pulp and simple printing in a clean, simple form is more reflective of contemporary consumer packaging and echoes the premium nature, responsible design, and innovative nature of the Brace unit.  

With empathy for younger teenage patients' needs and requirements at the heart of the design philosophy Brace packaging is designed to be both functional, as well as support a new and more appropriate clinical journey with full environmental responsibility. Brace packaging supports personalized clinical treatment at home, designed specifically to reduce the anxiety of a stigmatizing teenage condition. Following an initial consultation and measurement, Brace arrives at the home of the patient in a fully recyclable paper pulp package personalized to the individual. Instructions printed on the package drive an appointed mobile phone connection with the clinician to support first-time fit and use. Pre-marked for individual self-fitting and pre-set loads are undertaken in the privacy of a home setting. On completion all packaging, pulp-based is 100% single-stream recycle. Brace packaging and service delivery are radically different from existing treatment pathways and are designed specifically with empathy for teenage patients.  

Alternative treatments involve frequent clinical setting visits and highly obstructive and stigmatizing devices along with frequent clinical interventions and adjustment exaggerating anxiety and stigmatization whilst causing considerable strain on healthcare services. There are no approaches to treatment, aligned and sympathetic to teenage needs that take a simple, environmentally friendly, personalized, and home-based therapeutic treatment approach. Brace packaging has already received positive reviews from trial and has a significant impact in terms of society and sustainability. The approach offers substantial benefits in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of specialized clinical resources increasing the patients that can be seen by each clinician daily by typically 20%. Environmental benefits go past obvious fully recyclable single-stream packaging solutions to impacts in reduced journey volumes and energy use in treatment. Brace packaging uses good design to improve patient experience, healthcare resources, and environmental impact.