PATIENT PORTAL

Background. Research shows that good communication between healthcare providers and patients improves health outcomes (Ha, Anat, Longdecker, 2010). Current online patient portals often have numerous usability problems, making it hard for a patient to find and understand information, and the portals don't typically support quick communication.  

Design goals. We had three goals. 1) create a patient portal using an integrative design approach*, 2) improve efficiency and navigation by excluding unnecessary menus, and 3) support communication without violating HIPAA regulations.

Design results. The lines items describe the research outcomes

- The new design provided integrative elements that supports user engagement such as highlighting next appointments (goal 1 achieved)

- A card design supported a mostly menu-less design and allowed users to quickly understand information via a "recently viewed" structure. The design made it easier to move within and between types of cards or types information (goal 2 achieved)

- A chat window was added for quick communication and the system could now auto-insert important tips or information for the patient at just the right time. Since the chat window is embedded into the new system it would not violate HIPAA (goal 3 achieved)

- Personal health info, such as bp readings, could be entered by a patient to help a patient manage their own healthcare more proactively

*Cannot show all the wireframes due to confidentiality agreements