HealthRecog

Product Experience

Problem Statement  

How might we share medical records among practitioners in an effective, efficient, reliable, and secure way?

Problem Background  

We're aiming to make the patient experience less stressful and confusing. We’re currently relying on outdated methods in the healthcare sector despite the availability of digital alternatives. Medical practitioners frequently rely on various software systems, which can be outdated in certain cases, based on their practice and hospital affiliations. 

This can often make it difficult to share information and places the burden on the patient to record and file their medical history should they need to share it. The difficulty of sharing medical history from one doctor to another poses significant challenges and impedes the efficiency of healthcare services, resulting in potential risks to patient care and secure processes.

Research Insights

User Pain Points

I surveyed a group of individuals who had recent encounters with the healthcare system. My main objective was to gather their insights on the methods they employed to engage and participate in their treatment process. 

Supporting Data

Most patients reported being generally satisfied with the healthcare service they received, however, 56% claimed only getting basic information about their diagnosis and treatment, and 44% said they received little to no information at all. It's evident that patients are content getting the services they need but are also seeking more efficient methods of obtaining their medical information.

Feedback

Furthermore, our survey revealed that more than 66% of respondents are very comfortable with sharing their medical history and personal information with healthcare providers. Based on accounts from two different nurses, it appears that patients have a tendency to overshare, possibly seeking some relief in stressful situations.

Landing on the Solution

After identifying the pain points of our potential users, it became evident that the primary concern for most of them lies in accessing and sharing their medical information.

This confirmation highlights the existence of limited resources for patients seeking answers about medical data and processes. This insight led to the development of the concept of enhancing the accessibility of medical information for both patients and practitioners.

Future Steps

During my research, I learned that our customers trust the healthcare system after building some rapport but are frustrated with the challenges of health literacy and patient education.  My next steps are to dig deeper into the limitations I may face working towards a system that would utilize sensitive information and if this may already be in development by a federal or provincial agency.