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Improving Patient Experience with BayCare EasyPass
Fostering a more patient-centric culture at BayCare Health Systems.
Project Overview
Introduction
BayCare EasyPass™ is a loyalty program designed to enhance patient engagement and streamline navigation within the BayCare health system.
Client
BayCare Health System, a leading not-for-profit health care system.
My Role
I led the UX and UI design efforts for the project, focusing on two primary portals: one for all patients and another specifically tailored for expecting mothers to provide pregnancy-related information and resources.
business problem
Healthcare providers struggle to meet and exceed consumer needs and expectations. Only eight percent of top tier healthcare organizations are focusing on a consumer-centric experience. One-third of survey respondents said they would trust companies like Amazon or Google over healthcare providers to develop the best online tools for searching for healthcare services.
Source: 2019 Kaufman Hall Healthcare Consumerism Index
solution
The result was BayCare EasyPass which was created to foster a more patient-centric culture. To increase awareness of the BayCare brand; to strengthen connections between the entire system of hospitals, facilities and healthcare professionals.
current design challenges
As Lead UX/UI Designer, I was tasked with improving the experience of the EasyPass portal for both user segments; to make feasible improvements that would increase user engagement and satisfaction.
It was discovered that 49% of patients within the BayCare health system were not utilizing the resources available to them in their EasyPass portals. After a thorough investigation, I uncovered the following areas that we should prioritize for improvement:
It was discovered that 49% of patients within the BayCare health system were not utilizing the resources available to them in their EasyPass portals. After a thorough investigation, I uncovered the following areas that we should prioritize for improvement:
Navigation
From usage data and user feedback, it became clear that patients were struggling to access and utilize healthcare resources efficiently due to complex navigation, userflow and lack of visibility of critical information.
Poor Content Organization
Articles and resources were previously organized sporadically, making it difficult for users to find related information.
Accessibility
The current site was not up to date with current accessibility standards which would eventually create usability issues for many patients, especially those with disabilities.
Visual Experience
The portals’ outdated UI design did not align with current design standards and BayCare's updated visual identity, potentially affecting user satisfaction, credibility and overall experience.
design constraints
Our solutions needed to solve the current challenges without restructuring the existing content. This required us to work within the framework of the current system, making strategic and mindful improvements without overhauling the entire structure. We also did not have the opportunity to test our ideations with actual BayCare users, so we decided to perform some minimal user testing with people we knew who seemed to fit the description of the two EasyPass user segments.
user empathy
Before beginning the ideation phase, I decided to spend time inquiring into the minds, hearts and experiences of the users in regards to dealing with healthcare systems. With the help of the internal BayCare team, we became acquainted with the two user types we would cater our design process to:
user journey
In order to determine the most meaningful ways to create value at each phase of the EasyPass journey, we mapped out user scenarios for both key patient portals. The first portal focused on general healthcare resources and navigation, while the second portal, tailored for expecting mothers (pictured below), provided specialized information about pregnancy.
Each user flow was designed to foresee any possible challenges, and to guide users through accessing relevant resources, ensuring that critical information was easily discoverable and the navigation paths were straightforward and efficient.
Each user flow was designed to foresee any possible challenges, and to guide users through accessing relevant resources, ensuring that critical information was easily discoverable and the navigation paths were straightforward and efficient.
Ideation & Conceptualization
Brainstorming Session
I organized workshop meetings with cross-functional teams to generate ideas for improving the user experience for both patients portals. Based on our discussions, I created initial concepts for a more intuitive navigation system and content organization. I then developed low-fidelity wireframes to outline the new navigation structure and content layouts.
Design Solutions
The existing resource center within EasyPass was basically a library of non-contextual resources untailored to the user’s specfic needs and/or journey in their patient experience. Understanding the specific needs of the user and the data available to us, we decided to prioritize navigation, personalization and content organization to ensure that users were being curated content in a meaningful way.
1. Incorporate initial onboarding
First, we decided to incorporate an onboarding process to guide users through navigating EasyPass and understanding all its features and benefits. This would hope to address the initial complexity and ensure they could quickly and confidently access resources.
2. Establish a Featured Content Section
This section would display relevant content based on the user’s preferences, usage data and/or latest BayCare news. This would be a single row of content with a hidden overflow to limit the amount of vertical space it would consume, ensuring that other categories of resources were still visible in the resource center.
3. Enhanced Category Navigation
We transformed the existing filter options into a clickable category navigation component to simplify content discovery within EasyPass. This would allow users to easily sift through different categories of content, enhancing their ability to find relevant resources quickly and efficiently.
4. Content-Type Visual Cues
We decided to Implement an icon on content cards to provide indication to the type of content (e.g., podcast, article, video) the user could expect when clicking a content card, enhancing user comprehension and quick identification.
6. Updates to Design System
Many updates were made across iterations of the EasyPass platform to improve coherence of the design system, improving consistency, accessibility, and scalability across BayCare’s products.
High-Fidelity Mockups
After some user testing and feedback sessions tailored to the viability of the proposed solutions, I produced a high-fidelity prototype showcasing the final design, including interactions, emphasizing clear navigation paths and easily accessible information. Ensured the design met accessibility standards, making the system usable for all patients, including those with disabilities.
Account Creation
My Resource Center
Onboarding Flow
Providers
Outcomes & Impact
With the implementation of the newly designed Easypass portals, we achieved a 32% increase in patient engagement, strengthening patient loyalty and improving overall satisfaction with BayCare’s services. Additionally, we improved the accessiblity rating of the platform to an accessibility score of 90% compliance on WCAG standards.
Moving forward, I continued to gather user feedback and make iterative improvements to both portals to ensure that any impediments with the design were tested and addressed. I also collaborated closely with stakeholders and developers to ensure a seamless hand-off to development, leveraging detailed documentation on UI and oversight to ensure the high-fidelity design translated well into development. I also played a role in the Quality assurance process to ensure that all interactions and functionality within the site performed, displayed, and responded accordingly.
Overall, I gained valuable insights into the importance of patient-centered design and the impact of streamlined navigation and accessibility on user experience.
Moving forward, I continued to gather user feedback and make iterative improvements to both portals to ensure that any impediments with the design were tested and addressed. I also collaborated closely with stakeholders and developers to ensure a seamless hand-off to development, leveraging detailed documentation on UI and oversight to ensure the high-fidelity design translated well into development. I also played a role in the Quality assurance process to ensure that all interactions and functionality within the site performed, displayed, and responded accordingly.
Overall, I gained valuable insights into the importance of patient-centered design and the impact of streamlined navigation and accessibility on user experience.
