OUR MISSION

We bring people together to redesign healthcare inside and outside the walls of the hospital.

OUR VISION

To create a healthier future through the reimagination of what health and healthcare can be.

Imagine a space where doctors and designers alike can come together and solve some of the toughest challenges in healthcare in one of the most evocative spaces in Philadelphia.

The Jefferson Health Design Lab exists to bring people from different backgrounds together and promote inclusive design in healthcare. From patients to providers, everyone has the potential to accelerate change and improve lives.

Fueled by traditional and modern prototyping technology and a foundation of Health Design Thinking, the Health Design Lab is more than just a maker space, but a space that will change the way we all think about the future of healthcare.

OUR TEAM

Led by a collaborative group of devoted industry leaders.

Bon Ku, MD, MPP

@BonKu

Bon Ku is the Marta and Robert Adelson Professor of Medicine and Design, the Associate Dean for Health & Design and a practicing emergency physician. His work toward redesigning healthcare has been featured in The New York Times, CNBC, Architectural Digest and Fast Company. Dr. Ku has spoken at conferences, academic medical centers and universities around the world: SXSW, TEDx, Yale School of Management, American Institute of Architects and Singapore Design Week. Dr. Ku is the host of the Design Lab Podcast, co-wrote the book, Health Design Thinking, with Ellen Lupton and was a regular panelist on the primetime medical TV show Chasing the Cure with Ann Curry.

Robert Pugliese, PharmD

@RSPugliese

Book a meeting with Rob

Rob Pugliese is Director of Innovation Design at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. He is Co-Founder and Director of the Jefferson Health Design Lab. Prior to taking on a full time role in healthcare innovation, Robert spent 10 years as a clinical pharmacist practicing and teaching in the specialty of Emergency Medicine. As a person with insulin dependent diabetes, Robert takes personal interest in assuring that everyone has a voice in improving our healthcare system. In his free time, Rob watches cartoons with his 3 daughters, produces the Design Lab Podcast, and pursues other creative endeavors!

Morgan Oakland Hutchinson, MD

@MorganHutchiMD

Morgan Hutchinson, MD is the Director of Education at Thomas Jefferson University’s Health Design Lab and Director of the Scholarly Inquiry in Design program at Sidney Kimmel Medical College. She is an Assistant Medical Director and the Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Morgan’s work focuses on the applying a creative, human-centered approach to healthcare delivery and medical education.

Rose Ritts, PhD

Rose Ritts is the Chief Innovation Officer at Jefferson and a leader in the Health Design Lab, where she works with thought leaders and inventors from across the Jefferson enterprise to create award-winning products, services, and experiences. Her experience spans medical product design, early stage startups in roles from founder to mentor to investor, and developing and leading programs at DARPA, all with a drive to solve health and business problems with new products and solutions that deliver value while placing customers at the center of decision making.

Geoff Hayden, MD

Geoff Hayden, MD, is an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and Director of Scholarly Inquiry - Design, at the Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC). He also directs a social determinants screening program for SKMC, leading a team of community health workers as they connect vulnerable patients with community resources. Dr. Hayden studies the role of design thinking in curricular development for medical education. He asserts that medicine + design = better medicine.

MaryEllen Daley

@MAD4design25

MaryEllen A. Daley is the Special Projects Manager for the Health Design Lab (HDL) where she handles the day-to-day operations as well as providing administrative support. In addition, MaryEllen is the Education Coordinator for the Sidney Kimmel Medical College Scholarly Inquiry Design and Digital Health programs, where she manages and coordinates the track programs, while working closely with its students, leadership and faculty. While relatively new to the healthcare industry, her passion for design thinking and innovation coupled with her project and research management experience in the legal field, makes her an invaluable partner to the HDL team.

Olugbenga Okusanya, MD

@okusanyamd

Olugbenga Okusanya MD, FACS is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery within the Department of Surgery. Dr. Okusanya is a career educator and thoracic oncology researcher. Dr. Okusanya has a personal passion for the education and training of future surgeons as well the elimination of health care disparities. He is also interest in the pedagogy of robotic assisted surgery.

Research Fellows

2023-2024
Sara Belko
Rachel Monane

2022-2023
Sara Belko

2021-2022
Lauren Schlegel
Eva Varotsis

2020-2021
Alice Jane Karp
Nicole Nester

2019-2020
Michelle Ho

2018-2019
Terry Gao

Research
Assistants

2023-2024
Eric Malani

3D BioLab
Leads

Health Design Interns

2022
Eric Malani
Danielle Kempner

2021
Marah Sakkal
Justin Williams
Martina Rama
Anahita Sehgal
Kapila Kommareddy
Danielle Kempner
Sara Belk0