ITM 4th Year Project — C00289465

A Digital Companion
for Ostomy Patients

An interactive web application bridging the gap between hospital discharge and home — combining education, symptom awareness, supply tracking, and contact management into one accessible platform.

my-checker-eight.vercel.app
StomelyCompanion — Dashboard
🩺
Symptom Checker
Rule-based guidance
📚
Learning Hub
Trusted resources
📦
Supply Tracker
3 items in stock
📞
Contacts
Nurse & GP saved
⚠️  Low stock alert — Wafer packs (2 remaining)
Student
Adam Drea
Student ID
C00289465
Course
ITM 4th Year
Stack
React + Vite
Deployment
Vercel
The Problem

Bridging the Gap After Discharge

Approximately 2,000–2,500 ostomy surgeries are performed in Ireland each year. While the surgery is often life-saving, the period after hospital discharge is extremely challenging — patients receive large amounts of information in a very short time, much of which is quickly forgotten.

Research shows 40–80% of clinical information is forgotten almost immediately after discharge. Without ongoing support, patients face avoidable complications like skin irritation, dehydration, and incorrect appliance use — contributing to readmission rates of 10–20% within the first few weeks.

StomelyCompanion directly addresses this gap with a digital companion that provides continuous, structured support outside the hospital environment.

2,500
Irish patients/year
20%
Readmission rate
80%
Info forgotten at discharge
The Solution

One Platform, Four Core Tools

A modular React application combining education, symptom awareness, and day-to-day organisation into one accessible, offline-first platform.

🩺 Symptom Checker 📚 Learning Resources 📦 Supply Tracker 📞 Contact Manager 📴 Offline-First ♿ Accessible Design 🔒 Privacy-First 📱 Responsive UI

Designed for ostomy patients, their carers, and healthcare professionals — with simplicity and usability at its core.

Core Features

What the Application Does

Four integrated modules working together to support patients from symptom awareness through to supply management.

🩺

Symptom Checker

A rule-based decision system that guides users through symptom questions, assigns a severity score, and provides targeted recommendations — with clear disclaimers that it is guidance, not diagnosis.

📚

Learning Resources

Structured links to trusted external content covering bag changing, skin care, hydration, and general stoma management — ensuring accuracy without reproducing medical content.

📦

Supply Tracker

Add, manage, and monitor ostomy supplies including product name, reference codes, and supplier details. Low stock alerts help patients stay prepared and avoid running out of essentials.

📞

Contact Manager

Store stoma nurses, GPs, and suppliers in one place for quick access. Full CRUD support for adding, editing, and removing contacts as needed.

01
Business

Real Healthcare Value

  • Reduces avoidable hospital readmissions
  • Supports overstretched stoma nurses
  • Targets €5,000–€7,000 per-admission cost
  • Scalable licensing & partnership model
  • Aligned with HSE digital health strategy
02
Technical

Modern Architecture

  • React + Vite component-based SPA
  • Offline-first with localStorage
  • Rule-based logic — no AI black box
  • Modular CRUD data management
  • Semantic HTML & accessible design
03
Ethical

Patient-First Values

  • No external data transmission
  • GDPR-conscious local storage only
  • Clear medical disclaimer on checker
  • Inclusive, accessible interface
  • Transparency over automation
Business Analysis

Market Need & Commercial Potential

StomelyCompanion addresses a clearly underserved niche in digital health — with measurable clinical and economic impact potential.

Target User Groups

  • Ostomy patients — particularly in early post-surgery period
  • Carers and family members managing daily stoma care
  • Healthcare professionals recommending self-management tools
  • Stoma nurses seeking to reduce repeat consultations

Gaps in the Current Market

  • Existing tools (e.g. Coloplast Care) are largely non-interactive
  • No symptom interpretation or personalised guidance
  • No supply tracking or organisational features
  • Inconsistent accessibility across platforms

Value Proposition

  • Interactive structured learning — not passive content
  • Rule-based symptom guidance for early intervention
  • Personalised supply & contact organisation tools
  • Improved patient autonomy and confidence

Future Revenue Paths

  • Licensing platform to healthcare organisations
  • Partnerships with ostomy product suppliers
  • Subscription-based advanced features
  • Integration with hospital or clinic systems

Even a modest reduction in avoidable complications could deliver substantial savings. With readmission rates of up to 20% and costs of €5,000–€7,000 per case, the economic case for a preventative digital tool is compelling.

€7k
avg. cost per admission
20%
readmission rate
2,500
procedures/year (IE)
Technical Section

How It's Built

A modular, component-based React application with an offline-first design philosophy — lightweight, private, and built to scale.

Technology Stack & Design Decisions

React + Vite

Component-based SPA with fast build tooling. Enables reusable UI elements and modular feature development.

localStorage

Offline-first data persistence. No external servers — all patient data stays on-device, simplifying GDPR compliance.

Rule Engine

Deterministic rule-based symptom logic — not AI/ML. Ensures explainable, auditable, safe outputs for a healthcare context.

React Router

Client-side routing between Dashboard, Symptom Checker, Supplies, Learning Hub, and Contacts.

Vercel

Zero-config deployment of the static React build — publicly accessible at the project URL.

System Architecture

User Interface (React Components)
Application Logic & State Management
React Router — Client-Side Navigation
Local Storage — Data Persistence Layer
Symptom Module
Supplies CRUD
Learning Hub
Contacts CRUD

Key trade-off: Offline-first improves privacy but limits cloud sync. Rule-based logic is safer and more auditable than ML in a healthcare setting. Linking external educational content avoids copyright issues and keeps medical info current.

Ethical Considerations

Built With Responsibility in Mind

Healthcare applications carry significant ethical weight. Every design decision in StomelyCompanion prioritises patient safety, privacy, and inclusion.

🛡️ Patient Safety First

The symptom checker provides guidance — never diagnosis. Prominent disclaimers direct users to seek professional advice for serious concerns, preventing dangerous over-reliance on the app.

🔒 Data Privacy & GDPR

All data is stored locally on the user's device. No personal or health information is transmitted externally — eliminating third-party data risks and simplifying regulatory compliance.

♿ Accessibility & Inclusion

Designed for users of all technical abilities, including older individuals. Large buttons, clear spacing, semantic HTML, and minimal interface complexity throughout the application.

🔍 Transparency Over Automation

Rule-based logic instead of AI ensures outputs are fully explainable and auditable. Users and clinicians can understand how every recommendation is generated — no black boxes.

⚖️ Supplementing, Not Replacing, Care

The app empowers patients with information while reinforcing the importance of professional healthcare relationships. It complements clinical care rather than substituting it.

📋 Regulatory Awareness

Designed with future compliance in mind — including GDPR, potential medical device classification, and HSE/NHS digital health guidelines for any eventual production deployment.

Live Demo

See StomelyCompanion in Action

The full application is deployed and accessible online. Try the symptom checker, browse the learning hub, and explore the supply tracker and contact manager.

Open the Live App →
https://my-checker-eight.vercel.app/