Case Study 01:
Redesigning Healthcare with Life Saving UX
Children’s Hospital
Los Angeles (CHLA)
UX Designer & Co-Chair
Jan 2018–Feb 2021
Problem
The CHLA expanded their Division of Young Adolescent Medicine providing life saving services for Queer young people of color: 16–24. However, patient engagement goals were not on track to maintain grant funding. In order to increase engagement and retention, CHLA needed to understand the major pain points along the patient journey. The UX Owl took flight.
Mr Owl Matheo Cadena
UX Design Assistant
Project Overview
When Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) expanded their Division of Young Adolescent Medicine to serve a critical population: Queer youth of color aged 16-24. The program provided live saving healthcare services, yet they struggled with low patient engagement, jeopardizing grant funding. As a UX Design Assistant, I supported Bern Irizarry in understanding the patient experience to identify opportunities to increase engagement and retention.
Discovery Process
Researching the Problem
I served as an assistant to the Sr Designer, Bern Irizarry, in researching and deep diving the problem.
- Design Thinking Workshops: Co-facilitated design thinking workshops to uncover new insights from a fresh outside perspective.
- Affinity Mapping: Leveraged and co-lead the team through creating gorilla personas, and affinity mapping exercises.
- User Interviews: Conducted user interviews with patients, providers, and executives to identify pain points in the user journey.
Problem Summary
We discovered that low patient engagement was linked to the lack of trust in the healthcare system, because they felt it had failed them too many times.
Research showed that medical professionals consistently discriminated against Queer patients. As a result, patients learned to distrust healthcare workers and hospitals. CHLA needed to find a way to address the discriminatory barrier.
Solution
The CHLA launched a rebranding campaign to overhaul it’s design, marketing, and outreach through empowering young people to help ideate and provide design direction on the new image. In addition, CHLA deployed a Youth Community Advisory Board (YCAB) to oversee its operation. Which, assesses services while providing a constant feedback loop for increasing engagement.
Design Process
Design Thinking Workshops
Mr Owl co-facilitated design thinking workshops, affinity mapping, and developing gorilla user personas, alongside Sr UX Designer Bern Irizarry, to uncover solutions with the YCAB.
Tools & Teamwork
User Interviews
I interviewed 10 patients from the Young Adolescent Medicine program. I helped develop interview questions and took detailed notes to capture their healthcare needs, experiences with CHLA, and expectations from the program.
Field Testing
I conducted deep research and discovered holes in the patient experience by observing the patient services experience at CHLA. To that end, I identified pain points, areas of confusion, and documented my findings to present to the YCAB.
Presenting Findings
I helped synthesize research, user interviews, and co-presented the findings to the YCAB. Then recorded and prioritized solutions to implement.
Results
The CHLA revamped their user experience creating an inclusive and user-centered environment. As a result, they increased their patient engagement and the grant funding extension was approved for 5 years by the Los Angeles County Department of Healthcare Services. Further, ensuring life saving healthcare services reach the young adults.
Increased Patient Engagement
Increased Awareness
We increased patient engagement by 200%: From 10 people per month to 30 people per month. This saved the contract and CHLA received approval from the Los Angeles County grant funding as a result of our design solutions.
Scheduling Opportunities
Patients found the appointment scheduling process on the CHLA website confusing and time-consuming. Conversely, we simplified the scheduling experience with our improved patient perspectives and collaboration across departments.
Established Trust
CHLA revamped their patient experience breaking down barriers with young people and regaining their trust. Thanks to our newly redesigned patient experience, and insights into the patient journey. Ultimately, we increased the number of people accessing life saving medical services.
Reflection
This project provided one of the most valuable lessons of my career.
Cross department collaboration between, designers, executives, and healthcare providers created an impact: Patients accessing life saving healthcare services increased by 200%. As a result of the average patient engagement rate increasing from 10 people per month to 30 people.
Further, learning alongside my mentor, Bern Irizarry, Senior UX Designer, was a priceless experience. I learned how to: Synthesize research into actionable solutions across siloed teams. Equally important, I learned that organizational changes are made possible by combining the wisdom of the design process, with the capabilities of technology, and leveraging both to empower people.
Looking Back
What I’d Do Differently
More One-on-One Time with the Team
If I could go back, I would work more closely with each department and find more solutions to close the gaps between the patient experience. Leveraging technology CHLA already has to make implementation easier across the organization. Because of scheduling limitations I was not able to spend as much time as I would have liked one-on-one. As new insights emerge when you are interviewing team members in confidence, as oppose to in a group setting.
Let’s Work Together
Hiring a Designer?
If you’re looking for someone who’s passionate about design, advocates for accessibility, and is a voice for your users’ needs — then, fly me an email.
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