Med24 - Reducing the friction into booking medical appointments in the UK.
CONTEXT
In the UK, especially in London, many individuals struggle to efficiently manage their own and their families' health needs. The current process for booking medical appointments is often tedious and frustrating, failing to guarantee timely care from suitable healthcare professionals.
Let's examine some of the pressing issues affecting healthcare providers and patients, and consider how these problems might be costing in terms of time, money, and health outcomes.
Med24 aims to empower online booking for medical appointments in the UK. This comprehensive platform tackles the complex challenges that both healthcare providers and patients face with the current appointment booking system.
After brainstorming with the client, it became clear that clinics and patients had distinct needs. Clinics required a comprehensive platform to manage appointments and patient data, while patients needed a more streamlined mobile solution for quick and easy bookings. This led us to develop 2 separate products:
As the product designer, I worked on the entire design process of the patient mobile app, which was my primary area of responsibility.
Understanding the users’ needs and goals
Without access to specific data on potential users (clinic patients) and without allocated budget for dedicated research activities, I drew conclusions based on research conducted by competitors based in the United Kingdom (OneMedical) and for comparison, in Italy (Miodottore).
This approach allowed me and the resto of the team to gain insights into user needs and behaviors in the healthcare booking sector, while working within the project's constraints.
Key needs
and goals
Efficient Appointment Booking
Users need fast scheduling with real-time availability, instant confirmation, and booking for family members
Timely Medical Assistance
Access to same-day appointments and virtual consultations for urgent needs is essential.
Quality healthcare
Users want to be matched with the right professionals based on specific conditions.
Health Monitoring
A centralized platform to track personal and family health records, treatments, and appointments.
Easy Payments
Secure online payments with multiple gateways, saved info, and clear billing.
Flexible Healthcare Plans
Options for tailored individual or family healthcare plans.
By sharing low-fidelity wireframes early with the client, I was able to identify 3 crucial gaps in our proposed user flow
Identity
verification
To ensure a secure and compliant platform, together with the developers, we decided to strategically integrated Onfido, a reliable third-party identity verification service. This decision streamlined the onboarding process, enhanced data security, and instilled greater user trust without requiring significant in-house development efforts.
Remote
consultations
In order to deliver a solid, reliable solution for the video consultation feature, I conducted thorough research to identify the best technical partner. After evaluating several options, I found that Semble (formerly Heydoc) was the ideal fit. Their platform provided all the necessary video call functionalities, allowing us to integrate seamlessly without needing to build a custom solution from scratch.
Moreover, Semble offered more than just video capabilities; it was also the perfect solution for clinic management. Its customizable white-label product enabled clinics to manage appointments and maintain detailed patient histories, ensuring a streamlined experience for both patients and clinics. This research-driven decision allowed us to offer a robust, end-to-end solution for both users and healthcare providers.
Payment
Clarity
To address this, I designed 2 distinct call-to-action labels for the services, clearly indicating whether it was included or required an additional fee. This improved clarity and helped users make informed decisions about their appointments.
IMPACT MEASUREMENT
Working with the project manager, I identified these key metrics that would measure both its impact on the user experience and business objectives.
Usability Metrics
Reduction in booking time
One key usability metric would have been how much the streamlined booking flow reduced the time needed to schedule an appointment. A goal of 25-30% reduction in booking time would indicate improved user experience and efficiency.
User retention and Eengagement
The platform’s usability would have also been reflected in the rate of returning users and the frequency of use. Achieving a 15-20% increase in user retention would suggest that patients found ongoing value in Med 24 for managing their healthcare needs.
Video Consultation Adoption Rate
A critical usability metric would have been the percentage of appointments conducted through the video consultation feature. A growing adoption rate would signal that users found the option beneficial and convenient, particularly for minor issues that didn’t require in-person visits.
Customer Satisfaction (NPS)
Usability would also have been measured through user feedback and Net Promoter Score (NPS). An upward trend in NPS would reflect patient satisfaction with the ease of use, service availability, and the overall booking experience.
Project Success Metrics
Appointment Volume Growth
One key usability metric would have been how much the streamlined booking flow reduced the time needed to schedule an appointment. A goal of 25-30% reduction in booking time would indicate improved user experience and efficiency.
Reduction in Clinic Administrative Time
For clinics, success would be determined by how much time the platform saved in managing appointments and patient records. A 15-20% reduction in administrative workload would reflect Med 24’s effectiveness in improving clinic operations.
Revenue Growth for Clinics
Tracking the increase in overall appointments, including remote consultations, would have a direct impact on clinic revenue. An increase in appointment bookings would highlight the platform’s business value for clinics.
LEARNINGS
Working on the Med 24 project reinforced my ability to tackle complex challenges with a user-centered approach. From research to UI design, I collaborated closely with clients, developers, and stakeholders to meet the needs of both patients and clinics. Working on this project offered me valuable insights into healthcare, where I integrated third-party products like Semble to deliver a robust, ready-made solution for the client's goal. This experience strengthened my cross-functional collaboration skills, ensuring alignment and problem-solving at every stage.
