Leading a coordinated, enterprise-wide UX strategy in record time for COVID-19
Implementing digital mechanisms for care during COVID-19 as a health system and informing patients about the change in information about the disease
2020-2021 | Head of UX | CommonSpirit Health (formerly Dignity Health)
Overview
When COVID-19 emerged at the start of 2020, I lead the enterprise-wide effort to build a framework for our health system, that:
Informed patients about rules and restrictions with hospital use as information changed through our digital communication channels.
Enabled several video visit options so that our providers could resume care from a remote location.
Research-informed decisions
As the head of UX, I was able to work with our design and marketing team to deploy a quick survey to our research panel to understand attitudes about receiving care while information about COVID-19 was changing.
Getting stakeholders on the same page with a visual
CommonSpirit Health was a newly formed organization, resulting from two merging hospital systems. COVID-19 was the first time our teams were working together, so I quickly pulled together this journey map to bring our enterprise team on the same page with the user issues we were facing as an enterprise. Our online channels were being bombarded with symptom-related inquiries and this was part of our quick response to what was happening. More importantly, 68% of appointments (including surgeries) were cancelled due to COVID-19.
Our unified objectives
Reschedule appointments as soon as possible
Reassure patients they are safe
Provide virtual care options (same reimbursement model as a result of COVID)
covid-19 Research: main findings
Patients prefer own doctor
For patients who had a pre-existing condition before COVID hit, they preferred to see their existing doctor in whatever way necessary (in-person, phone, or video) over a new doctor, likely because of the history they’ve had.
Reassurance is needed for basics
It’s common knowledge that hospitals are sterile, and work environments for healthcare in the US are clean, but during COVID, patients needed to be reassured of basic safety measures, due to the fear of transmission.
Increased likelihood of video visit
Though there is still a preference to see a doctor in person, COVID times called for COVID measures. As a result of fear, patients had higher likelihood of requesting a doc via video than ever before.
“I’m currently pregnant. My doctor’s office does call me to check-in but the importance of attending ultrasounds has been postponed. It has caused extreme anxiety amongst myself and my family members.”
Cross-brand covid-19 content strategy, evolving with the pandemic
COVID-19 news was changing almost daily during the start of the pandemic and for the first time ever, the general public was looking to hospital systems and health professionals for up-to-date information. As a result, we created a content strategy that was coordinated and evolving with the pandemic.
New news
When do I expect to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Am I allowed to visit my loved one in the hospital right now?
New directions and entry information to facilities during COVID-19
Developing news
How and where to get screened/tested
Additional safety measures
Service resumption and info about newest safety precautions for elective surgeries
basic news
Basic facts about COVID-19
Who to call about symptoms
Preventive safety measures
Page real estate for changing news throughout pandemic
Persistent banners placed across site and app with a link to COVID resource page.
Creating a go-to page for all COVID-19 updates for each brand
As a newly merged organization, we were able to apply our content strategy across brands and CMS platforms: Sitecore & AEM.
Expanding virtual care options
We were forced to quickly evaluate the virtual care options across the organization and decided to expand virtual care offerings for three products that proved to be low effort and high value for our patients.
Expanding online Scheduling to video visits (previously in-person visits only)
White labeling on-demand virtual care app: virtual care anywhere
We took the existing virtual care technology from one of our divisions and were able to expand the offering across all 50 states for use by re/branding the product for a quick expansion.
