BRIDGE
Connection between medical providers and recipients
Project Overview
Challenge
Patients often encounter challenges when attempting to book appointments, primarily due to the limited availability of doctors. This can lead to frustration and delays in receiving necessary medical care.
Furthermore, doctors face difficulties in effectively communicating with patients for various reasons, such as language barriers, differing communication styles, or complex medical information that needs to be conveyed clearly. These communication challenges can impact the quality of care provided and may result in misunderstandings or missed opportunities for effective treatment.
Opportunity
Implementing solutions to improve the appointment booking process and enhance communication between doctors and patients. Initiatives not only enhance the overall patient experience but also contribute to more effective healthcare delivery and better health outcomes.
Solution
Aligning patients with professionals based on availability simplifies appointment booking, while visual resources aid those with language barriers or difficulty understanding medical terms. These measures enhance accessibility and comprehension, improving the healthcare experience.
00 My Story
My friend often Consults his Doctor for checkups and occasional symptoms. Once, he had to cancel our lunch for an appointment, but due to a scheduling Miscommunication, we ended up meeting anyway because he had to reschedule his appointment. During lunch, he shared several Inconveniences he encounters, and this prompted me to start a case study focused on improving the user experience for Patients using Medical Services.
“I made an appointment with wrong department due to miscommunication.”
John P.
“They are never available when I am.”
Han C.
“Because I rescheduled an appointment, I need to wait another month.”
Karen H.
“I can’t understand what it means.”
Kelly J.
01 User Research
Carried out an Interview of 10 Participants including 4 Medical Professionals to gain insights into the user experience interacting with medical providers and to identify obstacles for enhancing the experience
Recipients
Most recipients contact medical providers to Schedule Appointments with via Mobile Applications
However, the restricted Availability of providers and the frequent occurrence of Technical Terminology often lead to delays throughout the process
Providers
On the other hand, most providers often contact recipients via Email due to the absence of alternative systems
Similar to the interview results with recipients, a significant number of providers identified Lack of Communication due to Language Barrier and Emotion as a primary cause of delays throughout the process. Additionally, they noted that recipients' No-Shows further contribute to these delays
Conducted a survey with 300 participants to gather quantitative insights, primarily focusing on identifying obstacles to enhance the experience
Obstacles
According to the Qualitative Data from Interviews and Quantitative Data from Surveys, misaligned Availability prevents recipients from scheduling appointments at convenient times, potentially leading to no-shows
Additionally, Miscommunication, often due to language barriers and technical terminology, has been determined as a major factor causing inconvenience throughout the user's experience.
AEIOU Framework
Using Medical Provider Website
AEIOU Framework was utilized to visualize insights and information and sort them into patterns which ground understanding of human problems that actually exist
The framework reveals significant factors supporting the Problem Hypothesis that availability and miscommunication caused by language barrier and technical terminology are the primary obstacles between recipients and providers, as defined through the interview and survey processes
02 Feature and Information
Employed a Venn Diagram, which incorporated business objectives, technical requirements, and user research findings, in order to ascertain a comprehensive set of features for the product
This process allowed for effective task prioritization and informed decision-making
Utilizing the Impact vs Effort Matrix, strategically assessed which features are deemed essential, prioritizing the delivery of significant value while considering the investment of time and resources
This analytical approach allowed to allocate our efforts effectively, ensuring that the Most Impactful Features are addressed promptly, thereby maximizing User Satisfaction and Product Success
The calendaring feature draws inspiration from Google Calendar, the leading scheduling program in the industry addressing requirements comprehensively, promotes Collaboration, and ensures Responsiveness
Generative AI is employed to mitigate the potential for Miscommunication by generating output in a manner that enhances understanding for the recipient
Completed Card Sorting to understand user mental models: how users recognize and group the information provided throughout the process of making appointments
The result was utilized to create Information Architecture that enables users to navigate effortlessly and find the needed information and to create a Sitemap
03 Design Development
Site Map
Developed a Site Map to outline the structure, detailing the organization and interconnection of the pages to facilitate effortless access to the desired information for users
Task Flow
Following comprehensive research and gaining a deeper understanding of user needs, developed three essential Task Flows to provide a visual representation of the pathway for the new feature
User Flow
Understanding the decisions users would make as they navigated through the new feature was a critical aspect
To achieve this, I structured a User Flow that guided individuals through the note taking process
Wireframe
1
Establishing a Platform Structure that involves creating an intuitive framework that simplifies navigation and makes information easily accessible
2
Conducted experiments with Various Layouts and Information Architectures to identify the most effective method of conveying information to the user
3
Placed great emphasis on ensuring that the wireframes are in alignment with the project's Objectives and Requirements, while also addressing the specific needs
Low-Fidelity Wireframe Sketch
Low-Fidelity Wireframe
Low-Fidelity Wireframe provided clarity on the placement of essential elements for each screen
Commenced the process by Hand-Sketching the layout, iteratively refining the structure through frequent revisions and translated them into digital low-fidelity wireframes
Design System
The Font was meticulously considered to achieve a harmonious blend of minimalism and readability, catering to a Wide Age Range
Drawing inspiration from a captivating photo, the Color Pallet was curated to set a unified tone and atmosphere for the design
The Design System was implemented into the Low-Fidelity Wireframe, culminating in the creation of the High-Fidelity Wireframe
High-Fidelity Wireframe
Usability Test
The objective of the Usability Test was to systematically assess the ease of use of the product, analyze user navigation behavior, and acquire valuable insights into the overall user perception of the product
In response to feedback from usability testing participants, Refined and Iterated upon the design
04 Final Design
If you are not feeling well…
Share Availability to be Matched with a professional with Aligned Availability!
Generative AI will assist users by offering tailored suggestions to help them make informed decisions when scheduling Appointments.
Aligned Availability with professionals enables them to find convenient time slots for Rescheduling appointments with greater ease.
Conclusion
Overall
BRIDGE The design optimizes users' access to services by aligning them with medical providers based on their availability, ensuring that appointments can be scheduled at convenient times. By facilitating clear communication between users and medical providers throughout the interaction, the system enhances the overall experience, allowing for better understanding and effective collaboration in addressing healthcare needs. Through its user-centric approach and emphasis on accessibility and communication, the system aims to streamline the process of accessing medical services, ultimately improving satisfaction and outcomes for both users and providers.
The solution proves to be efficacious for both END-USERS and the BUSINESS.
End - User
Users benefit from enhanced access to services, as the availability of medical providers aligns with their own schedules. Furthermore, the implementation of AI technology enables users to make decisions with greater clarity, reducing the likelihood of errors that could otherwise cause delays in the process. By leveraging these capabilities, the system empowers users to navigate their healthcare journey more efficiently and effectively, ultimately improving the overall experience for all involved parties.
Business
The implemented design has successfully minimized instances of miscommunication caused by language barrier and technical terminology between medical providers and users, thus alleviating delays and negative impacts on the overall experience. Additionally, the decrease in the frequency of cancellations, rescheduling, or no-shows, often stemming from communication issues and lack of commitment, has had a positive impact on the business.