User Experience Insights from Healthcare Professionals

What exactly can healthcare leaders learn from patients? I had a heart transplant a few years ago. Being a patient-doctor has given me some perspective I didn’t have before, and I think we can sometimes benefit from hearing more directly from people who’ve had to "live" inside the system. Here are a few things I’ve learned that might be useful: - Clear, simple care helps everyone. Even when patients understand the medical language, fatigue, brain fog, & multiple inputs can make it hard to keep track. What looks like “non-adherence” perhaps sometimes stems from having to manage too much at once. - Misalignment between teams is common. Patients often get different messages depending on who they talk to, even during the same hospital stay. In my opinion, improving internal communication can help affect outcomes & even patient behavior. - Waiting is a big part of the patient experience, and it can feel like being stuck in limbo. ⏰ I know clinicians aren’t trying to delay care. In fact, many of us are juggling a lot at once without enough hours in a day to finish everything. Still, even small gaps in communication can add stress. It’s worth understanding when and where these delays happen most. - Small interactions shape how patients feel about care. The basic things, like someone introducing themselves or explaining what’s happening in plain language, is so important in helping reduce anxiety. 💯 - Discharge planning usually doesn’t cover everything. 🚗 After hospitalization, there are still many loose ends (like medication access, symptom monitoring, emotional adjustment, etc). Patients who are stable enough to go home aren’t necessarily prepared for what comes next. A follow-up system that works well can make a big difference. - Patients + advocates should be involved in designing new systems. They often notice issues that may not be visible from within. Their input isn’t meant to challenge. Rather, it should add perspective. Not every idea will be actionable, but including these voices can hopefully lead to more thoughtful, well-rounded solutions. One quick aside: I’ve found that many healthcare workers who become patients end up shifting their own approach to care. That experience stays with them. But ideally, we don't all have to be patients to design better systems. We could just listen more to the ones who already are. 😊 #patientadvocacy #womeninmedicine #medtech #healthcareleaders

A mother receiving cancer treatment still packs lunches every morning. A nurse managing chronic pain continues her hospital shifts. A daughter undergoing physical therapy coordinates her father's medical appointments. These aren't just patients - they're caregivers whose own health journey intertwines with their responsibility to others. We often design healthcare experiences assuming patients can focus solely on their own healing. Yet for many, pausing their caregiver role isn't an option. They navigate treatment while maintaining their essential role in others' lives. This reality demands more thoughtful design. These individuals need scheduling flexibility that acknowledges their dual roles. They need clear information they can process while distracted. They need spaces that accommodate the children or parents they can't leave at home. Their support needs differ too. Traditional support groups might be inaccessible to those caring for others. Education materials designed for focused attention might miss their mark. Even simple things, like appointment scheduling, take on new complexity when balancing multiple care responsibilities. Understanding these intersecting journeys becomes crucial. How might we design care experiences that support not just the patient's healing, but their ability to maintain their caregiver role? How could we create spaces that accommodate both receiving and giving care? The opportunity lies in recognizing these dual roles and designing healthcare experiences that acknowledge this reality. Because sometimes the most supportive care is the kind that helps patients continue caring for others. The best solutions will come from truly understanding these overlapping journeys - seeing patients not just as individuals seeking care, but as essential threads in the fabric of others' lives.

The average patient is a myth. And when we design for a myth, we leave real people behind. We map out healthcare journeys that seem straightforward: 👉 Step 1: Visit your doctor 👉 Step 2: Change your diet 👉 Step 3: Get moving 🎯 Outcome: Managed diabetes From a system perspective, it looks like a staircase. But for many people—especially those facing structural or social barriers—the same journey feels like scaling a mountain range. With dragons. Behavioral science reminds us: what matters isn’t just the steps, but how they feel to the person taking them. And friction isn’t evenly distributed. Some patients face extra weight on every step: 🚧 Transportation gaps 🚧 Unpredictable work schedules 🚧 Low trust in the system 🚧 Limited support 🚧 Overwhelm and decision fatigue Here are a few examples we’ve seen in the field: 🧠 Scarcity mindset changes decision-making. Members juggling unpredictable work hours, caregiving, or housing insecurity aren’t just “busy”—they’re navigating survival. That affects memory, motivation, and how decisions get made. 💬 Reading level is a barrier, not a knowledge gap. Even well-intentioned outreach fails when it’s written for a policy team instead of a patient. Simplicity is a form of respect. 🎯 One-size nudges don’t fit all. A text reminder might work for one person—but another may need a pre-scheduled visit, a trusted phone call, or help from a community health worker. If we want equitable outcomes, we can’t just remind people harder. We have to design differently. ✅ Design for those facing the greatest barriers—not just the mythical “average” ✅ Simplify decisions and reduce friction at every step ✅ Build trust before we expect action Equity isn’t just about offering the same care to everyone. It’s about designing care that works for everyone. 👋 If you want to design health journeys that work for everyone, not just the "average", let's talk.