Medtouch
Overcoming communication barriers within the multi-lingual healthcare industry
Event:
UX Studio 2 at SCAD
Timeframe:
Spring 2022 - 10 weeks
Role:
UX Designer and Industrial Design
Tools:
Figma, Adobe Cloud, Rhino
Our design process followed the Double Dimond methodology, consisting of four key phases:
Process
Discover: We conducted both primary and secondary research to gain a deep understanding of our users needs and frustrations.
Define: We synthesized our findings from the discovery phase to identify key insights and opportunities. This helped us define a clear problem statement and project goals.
Develop: We began prototyping and testing our design concepts with real users, using their feedback to refine and improve our ideas.
Deliver: Finally, we created a fully functional prototype and a vision video.
Discovery Phase
Improper Cultural nuances can compromise comfort levels between the patient and the healthcare provider even if they can understand each other.
While most participants can speak english to their healthcare providers, several have encountered barriers before explaining/understanding the problem.
Many LEP patients would rather see a healthcare provider who speaks their native language.
Many LEP patients struggle understanding the post discharge care instructions.
Key Insights – Healthcare Providers
In person translators are the most effective for translation. However, they are costly and not always available in healthcare facilities.
The records and information of LEP Patients are not always available to healthcare providers and requires patients to recount their previous medical history.
Translators in healthcare scenarios can ultimately compromise the trust built between doctors and patients.
Define Phase
HMW Questions – Healthcare Providers
How might we provide a tool to facilitate communication that is low cost to healthcare facilities?
How might we design a translation system that is readily available for the healthcare provider?
How might we facilitate better communication of discharge instructions from doctor to LEP patients?
HMW Questions – Patients
How might we reduce the stress of Low Efficient Proficiency (LEP) patients involved with scheduling visits to healthcare facilities?
How might we facilitate better problem understanding between LEP patients and their healthcare providers?
How might we help LEP patients feel more comfortable communicating with English speaking providers?
How might we improve LEP patients confidence when speaking in a non-native language
How might we provide healthcare professionals with LEP patients previous records and data before showing up to appointment?
Key Insights – Patients
During the discovery phase, we conducted surveys to find our target audience, then we met with 6 professional healthcare providers and 8 foreigners that struggle to communicate in english language.
Here are the most important key-findings. 👇
During the define phase, we compiled the data gathered and started finding key-points, frustrations and goals.
Here are the most important key-findings & early ideation stages. 👇
The Task
How can we enhance healthcare facilities access to resources aimed at facilitating effective communication between providers and patients with low English proficiency?
How can we assist healthcare facilities in mitigating the risk of medical malpractice lawsuits resulting from communication barriers?
Identify key stakeholders and individuals with expertise in the field who can provide valuable insights regarding the challenges faced by healthcare facilities in effectively communicating with Low English Proficiency patients.
Thoughtfully articulate the benefits and advantages of our product, highlighting how it addresses the communication challenges and fulfills the specific needs of both healthcare providers and Low English Proficiency patients.
Develop strategies to minimize stress levels experienced by non-native patients when accessing healthcare facilities.
Create an intuitive and user-friendly system of resources designed to facilitate effective communication between Low English Proficiency patients and their healthcare providers. This system should aim to bridge language barriers and enhance understanding during medical consultations.
Challenges
Goals
My Role
UX Interaction Lead
Managed different stages of the design process with a focus on achieving optimal functionality and visual design.
Conducted in-depth research to identify and understand user pain points, gathering insights through user interviews, surveys, and usability testing.
Analyzed user pain points and translated them into actionable design requirements, ensuring that the solutions effectively addressed user needs and expectations.
Leveraged expertise in UX design to create intuitive experiences that bridged the communication gap for non-English speaking users, ensuring a seamless and inclusive user interface.
Developed and iterated on wireframes, prototypes, and user flows to validate design solutions, incorporating user feedback to enhance usability and optimize the user journey.
User Personas
Design Concept
A. Patient – Provider App
A platform where patients and providers are able to reach each other before their schedule appointment.
Platform can translate languages between the provider and patient using real time translation technology (RTT).
Medical history and past records are stored in the platform for easy access for both providers and patients.
B. Healthcare Interactive Mirror
Allows for visual communication which is the most effective type of communication in between different languages.
Visually shows instructions for patients post-care after being discharged.
Patients are able to select their language, which will automatically update medical insights to patients native language.
Brainstorming
A. Patient – Provider App
B. Healthcare Interactive Mirror
Low Fidelity Wireframes
A. Patient – Provider App
B. Healthcare Interactive Mirror
Develop Phase
During the developing phase, we tested our initial wireframes with end-users to challenge our assumptions and to find areas of improvement.
Here are the most important findings & how we improved. 👇
Home Page Improvements
All improvements made after implementing participants feedback.
Upcoming appointments – if any – is the first thing that pops up when the app is opened, containing specific information about the appointment and providers.
Easily schedule appointments with near by doctors to reduce the stress of looking for an adequate practitioner for you.
Optional. Take a survey to give us feedback in our product and how to improve it.
Scheduling an Appointment Improvements
All improvements made after implementing participants feedback.
Healthcare provider information is displayed on top. Including title, location and ratings.
Drop down menu and scroll features makes the experience more intuitive.
Feature allows you to chose appointment time, and displays times that the practitioner is not available.
Explore Page Improvements
All improvements made after implementing participants feedback.
Displays current medications and instructions for consuming them.
Allows user to set reminders/notification’s for medication refills, which includes location of pharmacies and date available for pick-up.
A summary of visits was added to allow healthcare providers to see past medical records and experiences.
Delivery Phase
During the delivery phase, we developed fully functional prototype using Figma as our main tool and a visual video.
Here’s the end result. 👇
During Visit
Post-Visit
Pre-Visit
Pre - Visit Experience
A. Scheduling an Appointment
Appointments shown based on doctor’s availability.
Reason for visiting healthcare facilities can be input in users native language.
Insurance information can be provided before hand, avoiding contact with nurses and staff.
Confirmation with location, date and reminders.
B. Patient’s Medical Record
Doctor has access to previous “Family History” related to conditions or disease.
Healthcare providers are able to see current and past patient medication.
Medical scans, x-ray imaging, and surgery overview can be stored in the app to provide healthcare workers with a broader understanding of the patients condition.
C. Communication with Healthcare Providers
Limited text with healthcare practitioners and pharmacies.
Allows photo sharing for visual wounds.
Optional survey provides feedback on how to improve system and visit experience.
Pharmacy notifies user when to re-fill medicine.
During Visit Experience
A. Check - In
Appointment confirmation with QR code reduces stressful interactions for low efficiency proficiency speakers.
Insurance information is available to staff after scanning QR code.
Patient previous records – past medicine, family disease history, allergies – are available to healthcare providers.
Interactive system transfers patients data to mirror in anticipation of the appointment.
B. Interactive Mirror SCAN
Interactive mirror measures basic health parameters such as height and weight.
Other vital information such as blood pressure and temperature is displayed in the mirror screen.
The mirror has microphones and speakers with the capability to translate in real time.
C. Pre-Existing Symptoms
Shows pre-existing symptoms based on the user’s native language input before appointment.
Translation system (RTT) is always available during the consult.
Voice communication feature discussing symptoms detail.
Interactive system gathers patients data in mirror.
D. Condition Details
Reactive “touch” based diagnosis and communication system.
Patients are able to visually communicate symptoms by pointing to the location that might be causing pain.
Touch activated suggestions pop up dependent of where the patient touches.
E. Real Time Translation
AI learns the patients language nuances and translates their speech to the appropriate language for their provider.
RTT Technology allows the user to communicate with their healthcare providers without waiting for a translator.
Post - Visit Experience
A. Post Charge Instructions & Summary of Visits
Notifications let the patient know when prescribed medicine must be picked-up from pharmacies.
Visual run through of post-care instructions.
Recorded results, diagnosis and lab results available in PDF to patient.
Follow up appointments.