Patients First

Patients First is a mobile case study designed to enhance healthcare access by allowing patients to easily connect with healthcare providers based on customizable filters, such as preferred language and other personal preferences.

Tools
Figma, Invision

Platform
Android

Timeline
2.5 weeks

Role
UX Design + Research

The Challenge

Language barriers in healthcare lead to miscommunication between the medical professional and patient, reducing both parties’ satisfaction and decreasing the quality of healthcare delivery and patient safety.

While Canada aims to welcome over 400,000 immigrants as of 2021, it is no surprise that language barriers are one of the top issues faced by newcomers to Canada.

“Miscommunication in the healthcare sector can be life-threatening. The rising number of migrant patients and foreign-trained staff means that communication errors between a healthcare practitioner and patient when one or both are speaking a second language are increasingly likely.”

“Interpreter services contribute indirectly to increased cost and the length of treatment visits.”

Objectives & Goals

  • Improve access to fast and reliable healthcare, connecting patients to all available healthcare services.

  • Support patients by providing education & knowledge they need to make decisions about their health

Research Objectives

  • Gain insight

  • Save time and money

  • Build stakeholder alignment

  • Validate ideas + hypothesis

  • Identify early adopters

  • Create valuable + useful designs

Hypothesis Statement

I believe that connecting patients with limited English skills to healthcare providers that can speak in their native language will help patients better understand their symptoms and make well informed decisions.

I will know I’m right when patients having difficulty with English as their first language feel more comfortable visiting healthcare services, no longer have to be accompanied by translators, and are able to make informed medical decisions on their own through successful awareness and education from their healthcare providers.

User Testing

In order to conduct user testing, I set up an interview participant criteria to ensure that I was focusing on my target demographic.

  • 16 +

  • Male or female

  • Resides in Canada

  • English is a second language

  • Experienced a medical health issue that required seeking a healthcare service (in person or online)

Research Insights

Communication

Patients would feel a greater satisfaction with healthcare services if language barrier was not an issue in person and/or online. Patients are unable to express symptoms clearly due to limited English language skills.

Canadian Healthcare System

Patients find the Canadian healthcare system not as pleasant than healthcare system back home in native country. Patients find that the Canadian healthcare system is much slower and not as efficient with testing procedures and diagnosis however all patients like that healthcare in Canada is free.

Mobile Health

Patients prefer to use mobile health apps however current apps have limitations. Patients came across technical errors and found communicating on the app was more difficult over in-person visits. Productivity was increased with mobile apps due to saving time on commuting and waiting however the quality of the overall experience with online health apps is limited. Depending on the severity of symptoms, patients claim they would rather visit in-person than get an unreliable diagnosis through mobile health apps.

Design Question

How might we help patients with limited English language skills better communicate with their healthcare providers in order to help patients make well informed decisions?

Persona

Meet Hanna!

From the insights collected during my user interviews, I created a persona to better represent our target demographic, Hanna. Hanna immigrated to Canada from Tokyo and due to her limited English, she finds it challenging at times speaking with strangers. She wants to be well informed during her healthcare appointments but doesn’t feel comfortable and frustrated not being able to express her symptoms clearly.

User Stories & Experience Mapping

Core Epic: Connect to Healthcare providers

  • As a patient, I want to search healthcare providers that can speak my native language so that I can communicate my symptoms more clearly.

  • As a patient, I want to be able to book an appointment with a doctor that speaks my native language so that I can better understand the diagnosis.

  • As a patient, I want to filter my search based on language and location so that I can find both a nearby clinic and a doctor that can communicate with me in my own language.

  • As a patient, I want to practice my English language skills so that I don't feel uncomfortable and lost during the appointment.

  • As a patient, I want to be able to go to my appointment by myself so that I don't have to depend on someone to translate.

  • As a patient, I want to be able to schedule a healthcare appointment online so that I can manage my time.

  • As a patient, I want to find a doctor who can speak the same language so that I don't have to research the words before or during my appointment.

  • As a patient, I want to receive insight related to my health in my native language so that I can make well-informed decisions.

  • As a patient, I want to be able to translate the information on a page so that I can better understand the information I need to make decisions about my health.

  • As a patient, I want to be able to see which healthcare providers provide translation services so that I know if I need to bring my own translator to the appointment.

  • As a patient, I want to be able to video call my doctor to speak about my symptoms so that I can boost my productivity as a busy individual.

Sketches & Ideation

Once I selected a task to focus on, I started sketching some possible solutions I wanted to explore with elements I wanted to incorporate into the design based on my research findings.

Wireframes

After completing my solution sketch, I created low-mid fidelity wireframes to better visualize the designs, facilitate early feedback from user testing sessions, and focus on functionality and flow over aesthetics.

User Testing

I tested 5 different users conducting 1 session per user. Users were asked to step into the shoes of Hanna, a recent immigrant from Japan and conduct a few tasks in order to book an appointment with a healthcare provider who speaks her preferred language.

Task Evaluation

Usability Ranking & Design Prioritization Matrix

While 6 out of 7 tasks were completed with ease, significant improvements are required to improve overall user experience. I assumed most users would tap on the calendar icon to go to ‘month’ view and the arrows for next day or previous day however 4 out of 5 users did not tap on the calendar when asked to change the date.

The two screens that brought the most attention for areas of improvement were the language filter screen and the doctor review and booking screen. Most users also expressed that the layout was too tight and frame sizes were too small.

To better evaluate the effectiveness of my design, a usability ranking was made based on the user testing findings. This helped to identify the pain points and further support my design decisions. To further focus on which design tasks should take priority, a design prioritization matrix was completed. This matrix ensures that designs are chosen and prioritized based on data-driven decisions rather than assumptions or subjective preferences.

Second Iteration

After gathering my usability testing insights, I made revisions to various screens to optimize the user experience and improve overall functionality.

Reflecting on this project, I not only practiced various UX design methods but also gained a deeper understanding of the critical role user testing plays in improving the usability of a prototype. Through the process, I learned the importance of basing design decisions on data-driven insights rather than purely aesthetics.

One key takeaway was how user research helped uncover pain points that weren't initially visible, allowing me to make more informed design choices. Revisiting the project later to create a high-fidelity version, I could see how much I’d grown as a designer, recognizing opportunities for further improvement. This experience taught me to embrace iteration and continue refining designs based on user feedback, ensuring the end product truly meets user needs

Update: I was able to re-visit the project at a later time and complete a high-fidelity version to bring the designs to life. While I see a lot of opportunities for improvement in the final prototype, I am proud of my work and happy to see my growth as a designer from back when this project was completed.

High-fidelity Prototype

Here is the final prototype of my healthcare app, now with the applied color scheme. I chose blue as the primary color because it is often associated with calmness, trust, and reliability—qualities essential in healthcare. Blue also conveys professionalism and competence, which are critical when users seek trustworthy medical advice. Additionally, its widespread use in the medical field reinforces a sense of expertise. The contrast between the blue and lighter background enhances readability and accessibility, ensuring a user-friendly experience across the digital interface.

Key Learning

  • Gained a deeper understanding of how user feedback shapes design decisions, ensuring that final solutions address real pain points and enhance usability.

  • Learned the value of rapid prototyping and continuous iteration, allowing for more agile, responsive design improvements based on feedback and user input.

  • Developed the ability to convert research findings into actionable design improvements, ensuring that designs are user-centered and built on data.