Medical Service Design

How do you develop user-friendly and cost-effective healthcare services? Service design provides methods and processes that are consistently conceived from the user’s perspective. The focus here is on the targeted collection of input from the target group in order to develop value-creating and user-oriented solutions. In order to develop tailor-made services, you need to know your own product ecosystem and understand and classify user needs.

Questions from medical service design: Where are the points of contact between the company and users (initial contact, product purchase, after-sales services, etc.)? Which interactions take place when, where and how? Which gaps and points of friction arise under which conditions? What hurdles and drivers are there? In order to identify the decisive levers, it is advisable to involve experienced service designers in this creative-analytical design process. They have the necessary methodological know-how to implement medical service design in a targeted manner.

Efficiency: Service design helps to holistically address key challenges in the healthcare sector (e.g. fragmented care systems, inefficient processes and diverse patient needs). Emotion: Unlike in other industries, the emotional aspect also plays a central role in the design of medical services. Patients are people who suffer. And every point of contact with their suffering reinforces this feeling. Healthcare services that focus on improving well-being show the way out of suffering. The focus here is on acceptance and understanding in order to develop services that create trust and reduce anxiety. Experience: The entire service includes not only the patients themselves, but also the various stakeholders in the healthcare system, each of whom has their own service needs in order to best satisfy the patient’s concerns. Satisfied patients have a positive impact on their environment, which in turn cooperates with the treatment team. An omnichannel approach is therefore essential.

Understanding: In the service design process, it is important to put people at the center. In our projects, we collect both quantitative and qualitative knowledge about the habits and needs of patients and healthcare providers through diaries, interviews and observations. Understanding and visualizing the overall context is crucial, and future trends should also be taken into account. Methods such as personas or diaries help to develop an in-depth understanding.

Design: In the design phase, we work on the potentials. We define clear goals and the focus is on feasibility in terms of technology and content. This requires interdisciplinary solution development, which is supported, for example, by user journey mapping and/or the creation of a service blueprint.

Implement & track results: Refers to the launch of a digital service or product. Traditionally, implementation is carried out using the MVP approach (from the smallest possible first version to the final product). In the medical context, however, this approach must be checked for applicability in advance in each individual case due to medical regulations and specifications. The ideal service process should be developed for the respective facility and the measurement of results should be made as simple as possible. After all, it is the service itself: the team must be able to work with it effectively

The aim of the project was to optimize and expand an existing individual service so that it could be handled entirely via a web portal. This was intended to facilitate access for users and at the same time increase the efficiency of the service.

As part of the project, we first conducted contextual interviews with the client’s employees, who act as “usage experts”. These interviews made it possible to gain deeper insights into the needs and challenges of the users.

Based on this information, we mapped a typical workflow in the form of a service blueprint, which comprises up to ten different roles. This blueprint served as the basis for deriving the screens to be designed, whereby specific requirements were identified for each role. For each screen, we carried out iteration loops, which took the form of workshops with the usage experts. In these workshops, we collected valuable feedback and compiled further information, which was documented in content inventories. We then derived the screen structure for the interaction concept to ensure intuitive user guidance. The final step involved the visual design and implementation of the minimum viable product (MVP).

With the help of service design, points of contact between companies and customers can be identified, evaluated and transformed into user- and market-oriented services. Service design helps to develop innovative approaches that go far beyond conventional solutions. The focus here is on the fundamental needs of patients, medical staff and other stakeholders in the healthcare sector.

Lisa Reimer has been a Senior User Experience Consultant for over 10 years, supporting clients from various industries on their journey from the idea to the finished product or service. She primarily designs and evaluates suitable user interfaces. As part of the UID “Facilitating and Consulting” team, she also enables project teams to work innovatively and agilely. For example, she uses the co-creative process LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® to promote new processes and ideas and to make collaboration inspiring.

UID is part of YOOme: the largest group of companies for the development of medical devices in Europe. In our projects, you benefit from our extensive experience in the development of medical devices and use our technical expertise to create effective service design. With over 25 years of experience and over 5,000 UX projects, we rely on innovative user-centered methods to create connected systems that enable a seamless patient journey. We look forward to working with you to transform the healthcare industry.