Healthcare Patient Portal Redesign
Improving Patient Engagement Through UX Research
Company
MediCare Solutions
Location
London, UK
Duration
2023 - 2024
Role
Lead UX Researcher & Design Strategist
Overview
Conducted comprehensive user research and redesigned a healthcare patient portal, resulting in 55% increase in patient engagement, 40% reduction in support tickets, and improved health outcomes tracking.
Challenge
The existing patient portal had poor adoption rates with only 32% of patients actively using it. Patients struggled to find appointment information, access medical records, and track health metrics. The interface was complex and not optimized for mobile users, who represented 70% of traffic.
Solution
Redesigned the patient portal with a mobile-first approach, implementing progressive disclosure for complex health information, integrating wearable device data visualization, and achieving WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance. Created personalized dashboards for different user types (patients, caregivers, healthcare providers) with role-based access controls.
Research Phase
Patient Research & Accessibility Audit
Duration: 6 weeks | Participants: 45
Research Methods
Key Findings
Information Architecture
Patients struggled to find appointment information due to poor information architecture
Impact: Redesigned IA based on user mental models and task frequency
Mobile Experience
Mobile users represented 70% of traffic but experienced significant usability issues
Impact: Implemented mobile-first responsive design with touch-friendly interfaces
Accessibility Barriers
Accessibility barriers prevented elderly patients from accessing critical health information
Impact: Achieved WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance
Feature Discovery
Integration with wearable devices was highly desired but not discoverable
Impact: Integrated wearable device data visualization dashboard
User Personas
Understanding the diverse needs and motivations of key user segments
Margaret Thompson
Retired Patient
BACKGROUND
Retired teacher managing chronic conditions
GOALS
- •Easily access medical records
- •View appointment information
- •Track health metrics
PAIN POINTS
- •Struggles with technology
- •Needs large text
- •Prefers simple navigation
"I just want to see my appointments and test results without getting lost"
David Chen
Tech-Savvy Patient
BACKGROUND
Software engineer managing preventive health
GOALS
- •Track health metrics
- •Integrate with wearable devices
- •Access advanced features
PAIN POINTS
- •Wants advanced features
- •Finds interface cluttered
- •Needs data integration
"I want to see all my health data in one place, synced with my fitness tracker"
Sarah Williams
Caregiver
BACKGROUND
Managing parent's healthcare
GOALS
- •Access parent's medical information
- •Coordinate care
- •Manage permissions
PAIN POINTS
- •Needs to manage multiple accounts
- •Complex permission system
- •Limited caregiver features
"I need to help my mother manage her health, but the system doesn't let me do that easily"
Implementation Approach
Strategic Assessment
2 weeks
- Conducted 12 in-depth user interviews with patients across age groups
- Performed comprehensive accessibility audit against WCAG 2.1 AA standards
- Analyzed existing portal analytics to identify usage patterns
- Created user journey maps for key tasks
Design & Prototyping
4 weeks
- Redesigned information architecture based on user mental models
- Created mobile-first responsive design with touch-friendly interfaces
- Developed interactive prototypes for usability testing
- Conducted 8 rounds of iterative usability testing with 40+ users
Implementation & Launch
8 weeks
- Implemented WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility compliance
- Integrated wearable device data visualization
- Deployed progressive web app for offline access
- Conducted staff training and patient onboarding
Outcomes & Results
Successfully transformed the healthcare patient portal into a modern, accessible platform that significantly increased patient engagement and reduced support burden. The redesign prioritized user needs across diverse patient demographics, from elderly patients to tech-savvy users.
+55%
Patient Engagement
Increase in active portal users
-40%
Support Tickets
Reduction in support volume
+65%
Portal Adoption
Increase in daily active users
4.7/5
User Satisfaction
Average app store rating
Research Visualizations
Key Learnings
Accessibility Benefits Everyone
Accessibility improvements designed for elderly patients with vision impairments benefited all users, including those on mobile devices with poor connectivity. Large text, high contrast, and simplified navigation improved usability across all demographics.
Mobile-First is Essential
With 70% of traffic from mobile devices, designing mobile-first rather than adapting desktop designs resulted in significantly better user experience. Mobile constraints forced prioritization of essential features and simplified workflows.
Progressive Disclosure Reduces Cognitive Load
Healthcare information is complex. Progressive disclosure—revealing advanced features only when needed—reduced cognitive load for casual users while maintaining power-user capabilities for tech-savvy patients.
Integration Drives Engagement
Integrating wearable device data increased engagement by 45% among health-conscious users. Users valued seeing all their health data in one place, reducing the need to switch between multiple applications.