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MiConcierge

I co-designed MiConcierge, an iPad app for the “Destinations Program” at the University of Michigan Hospital (UMHS), with the goal of improving the visiting patient experience and enabling them to provide feedback to the hospital. The pilot app is currently under development by the hospital.

MiConcierge: University of Michigan Health Systems iPad app prototype

Project Background

UMHS is conducting a pilot program that provides visiting patients with iPads during their stay, both for their enjoyment and to promote leaving realtime feedback regarding their experience. I co-designed MiConcierge, an iPad app to fulfill these needs while seeking new opportunities to improve the overall patient experience.

Directing the short film

Experience Prototyping

After conducting initial stakeholder interviews and primary research, I directed a short film to explore the patient experience, communicate patient pain points, and provide context for the service opportunities that the project afforded. The film was well-received by the program’s executive team and was instrumental in securing the application’s adoption.

Designing the UI

After conducting research and creating the video, we ideated and rapidly iterated over MiConcierge’s interface design. We compiled a list of core features that it should be able to perform, as well as constraints — elderly user population, low familiarity with iOS, etc. After a few dozen rapid sketches, we had a clearer idea of what the app would look like and how it would work and mocked-up high-fidelity mock-ups that would serve as the basis for our prototype.

  • Home: Interviews with medical and program staff revealed that agendas to explain procedures, introduce doctors, and provide basic wayfinding were the most valuable bits of information for visiting patients.
  • Doctor Bios: Patients can learn more about their doctors, adding an element of humanity to the experience while reassuring patients about their doctor’s background and skills before they meet.
  • Wayfinding: Navigating the UMHS complex has long been a problem for patients. MiConcierge displays a map showing the location of both the current and next appointment. Lost patients can use the app to get help from surrounding hospital staff, or reach a hotline to get directions.
  • Procedure Info: Visiting patients undergo complex procedures which are often difficult for them to understand. The app provides plain-English explanations pulled from existing medical databases.
  • Feedback (1): Collecting feedback following an appointment is critical to improving the patient experience, and allows the program to respond to patient feedback as close to realtime as possible. These prompts were designed to be short and lightweight to encourage completion.
  • Feedback (2): The app also accommodates patients who are less comfortable with mobile technology, as well as those with reduced fine-motor abilities, by providing the option to record vocal feedback.
  • Hotline: Patients can access a hotline at any time to speak with a Destinations Program operator should they have an emergency or require additional consultation.
  • Contextual Help: Contextual help is always available, offering the potential tasks available on the current screen. Providing contextual help in this manner helped to avoid excessive navigation for patients.

Final Prototype

I co-developed a working prototype of our iPad app design that alleviated common issues for visiting patients, and enabled them to send audio or text-based feedback to the hospital. The app is currently under development by UMHS.