Pursuit of Health

A seamless platform for finding the right provider

Proof of concept using patient-tested filters to refine provider search

The Background

Finding a doctor takes time, and when we finally get an appointment, oftentimes we experience disrespect and wasted, uninformative hours.

All we want is to find a doctor we can trust and stick with. Let’s refine our provider search.

The Scope

An end-to-end application

My Role

UX Designer, solo
proof of concept only

Timeline

May — July 2023
80 hours

Tasks

User Research, UI Design, Prototyping, Usability Testing

The Problem

Despite 60% of users searching online for healthcare providers, a significant gap exists in their search experience.

Current online resources are proving fragmented, with 80% of users relying on multiple sources for decision-making information. Users are navigating a confusing and unreliable system, unable to find suitable providers.
‍
‍This project aimed to develop a blueprint for a streamlined provider search platform.

How might we...
streamline provider search

for those looking for a doctor?

The

A Solution

Pursuit of Health (PoH) is a search app that filters by patient needs, giving users confidence that a suitable doctor is in reach.

Set preference

Save profile

Instantly find providers

Recognizing that users seek healthcare experiences aligned with their lifestyles and values, often during vulnerable times, PoH accommodates quick and personalized search through detailed filter profiles.

Research & Discovery

PoH’s competitors are prioritizing patient bookings.

Patient and provider engagements are arranged through user reviews, provider information, and booking integrations.

Direct

Patients, Providers

Bright interface with easy booking

Inaccurate book times for availability and in-network services, leading to lost patient retention

Make accurate provider information publicly available

Search with more filter options

Patients, Providers

Plans, Providers

Secondary

Indirect

Target Market

Competitor Type

Accurate provider information

Large network of providers

Rigid search by mile radius (no map)

Lacks provider information

Strengths

Opportunities

Weaknesses

Kyruus

Zocdoc

Patient profile for personalized search

UnitedHealthcare

Infrastructure of accurate provider information not available to public

I interviewed 7 people who searched for and visited a doctor in the last year.

What people talk about when they talk about finding and visiting a doctor.

A doctor who’s ‘been there’

“I look through the reviews for relevant issues and preferences. And where it matters, it helps that the doctor has experienced the same physiological events so they’re familiar with the process.”

Luke

Some respect

“You’ve waited for a really long time, and when you actually get to speak to a person, you feel as though you've done what you can within your sphere of influence: Googled, asked people, tried to do your own research.

You’re hoping they will respect you as a person, listen to you, hopefully have an answer for you… it just hasn’t been my experience with healthcare teams.”

Lori

Confused and mistreated

“There was a lack of communication, and everything happened so quickly.

I consented to the procedure and went through with it, but after it was all over, I was left feeling confused and mistreated.”

Leo

Luke, Lori, & Leo are

looking for a doctor they can trust. One who understands their situation and can provide thoughtful and comprehensive care.

User goals

To receive informed and appropiate care

system requirements

Search with patient preferences
Detailed doctor profile
User review and ratings

How might we...
help people like Luke, Lori, & Leo,

find doctors they can trust?

Defining core needs

To help users find personalized care, this project aims to find patient preferences that yield high patient-provider compatibility.

PoH’s goal is to support patients searching for doctors online
‍

This project aims to find relevant patient preferences

Patients want to find a doctor who can help manage their health, longterm

Using provider details, we can build out a more personalized search.

We can make future provider search easier with filter presets.

Ideation

Provider profiles, patient reviews, and filtered search, are must-have features that will set the foundation for personalized results.

Must-have

Provider Profile, specified fields

Reference:
streeteasy.com

Provider Profile

Filters based on all categorizable provider details above

Competitive analysis:
In Zocdoc.com, tool for generating a user base and loyalty

Details will include specialty areas, practice location, accepted insurance, availability, treatment style, procedures and care provided

Provider registration, sign in, and account page so the provider can access and share all their information with viewers (users)

Competitive analysis:
As seen in Zocdoc.com, a tool for providers to build an online presence

Purpose

Supporting research

User Reviews

Interviews:
Conditions to review when selecting providers

Search, filters

Can come later

User registration, sign in, review form so users can share their experience about a provider with viewers (other users), and account page to access past reviews. Reviews are posted anonymously, but verified

Survey

Interviews:
Users say that filling out surveys make them feel like they’re making a difference- that change is possible

Secondary research:
Booking.com, repeatedly logging the same filters is a pain point for users, but not a dealbreaker

Secondary research:
Star ratings vs semantic differential scales

User registration, sign in, account page, and filter profiles so users can easily choose filter presets to save time when repeat searching

Descriptive Rating Scale

Patient filter profile

In addition to patient reviews, include a template that guides through the details of the visit- to be framed like a survey

Semantic differential scale to descriptively determine user experience, vs a star rating

Initial sketches

Studying examples of well-used complex search pages.

Figure 2.1. Study of mobile apps: UHC, yelp, Mount Sinai, Airbnb, Amazon, Zocdoc. Similar to these apps, PoH’s homepage will feature the search, a button for the user’s saved filters, location services, and cards for popular search.

Figure 2.2. Study of mobile apps: Apple Fitness+, Yelp, UHC, and AllTrails. Yelp and AllTrails, used as inspiration for their sophisticated categorizations in location and various relevant preferences.

Figure 2.3. Study of various filter layouts: Apple Fitness+ uses chips, ZocDoc uses collapsible lists, AllTrails and Yelp use of distance from point, and UHC uses area by mile radius.

Prototyping

When searching, users can trust that each doctor provided has been selected based on their preferences.

Lowfi 1.1.
Home

Lowfi 1.2.
My Filters

Lowfi 1.3.
Search,
Results

Hifi 1.1.
Home

Hifi 1.2.
My Filters

Hifi 1.3.
Search,
Results

Hifi 1.4.
Filter Preset,
Edit

Hifi 1.5.
Filter Preset,
Save

Figure 3.1. Full list of preferences

Figure 3.2. Provider details supplied by patient reviews of the practice's in-patient environment, doctor's treatment style, and experiences with the doctor's communication style.

Testing

I conducted usability tests with 6 participants who searched for a doctor in the last year

Usability Test (moderated & unmoderated)

Goal of Test

Assess effectiveness of the filter functions in finding a suitable doctor

Must have recent experience searching for a doctor (within the last year)

- 3 moderated tests with users who were interested in a better way to find healthcare providers
- 3 unmoderated tests

Eligibility Criteria

Recruited Participant details

Results

Task

1. Set filter preferences

2. Save filter

3. Search using filter preset

Completion

Ease
(scale:1-10)

Errors

1/6

3/6

1/6

6/6

5/6

Avg: 10

Avg: 9

5/6

Analysis

Task

2. Save filter

Overall success

Strategy

User Reaction

Success ✅

Create and save personal preferences for future searches

3. Search using filter preset

Make it easy for users to make repeat searches

Personalize preferences for best search results

Users felt that the extensive provider preferences helped narrow down their options.

When asked to save the filter (from list of results) 2/6 users engaged the bottom menu bar ‘my filters’ instead of 'save' button provided.

Users felt it was easy as well as manageable with the number of results they were given

Needs improvement ⚠️

1. Set filter preferences

The provider filters based on tested patient preferences, “makes it manageable by narrowing down the search” for doctors.

Users who are usually sifting through pages of results can now make their decision from a manageable list of doctors relevant to the kind care they need and prefer.

Priority Revision

Increasing availability of
‘Save recent search’.

Save recent search from ‘My Filters’ tab

This secondary approach gives users the option to save a recent search at a later time.

Be the first to know about upcoming changes to your care.

Network change notifications assist with next steps

PoH hopes to quickly relieve any anxiety caused by upcoming network status change by providing an option for quick search with a user’s filter preset.

Next, how might an onboarding quiz help a user search for providers?

Certain information like addresses, or non-negotiables need to be included and updated in all filter presets. Therefore in a future iteration, I include these core requirements during onboarding to further assist with filter setups and profile-wide revisions.

in conclusion, this design

creates lasting connections by providing the option of choice in their search.

MY options AND more...

“
Let’s say I'm looking for a doctor who is experienced in my current health issue, and can suggest less invasive treatment plans.

This application gives me that option and more.

I think, in a world where this exists and works, it would make finding and choosing a doctor much less painful.”