The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the adoption and acceptance of modern technologies in healthcare systems. The necessity to adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic has driven many individuals to embrace technology as a means to access care and support their health needs.

Research conducted by The Health Foundation highlights the significant increase in technology use for accessing healthcare during the first phase of the pandemic. Approximately 60% of NHS users reported an increase in their utilization of technology to access care. This shift in behavior reflects the changing landscape where individuals sought alternatives to traditional in-person consultations and services.

It is encouraging to note that the majority of individuals (83%) who experienced this transition to technology-enabled care had a positive outlook on their experiences. This positive perception suggests that the integration of technology in healthcare has the potential to enhance patient satisfaction, improve convenience, and provide effective care delivery.

The pandemic has served as a catalyst, demonstrating the benefits and value of leveraging technology in healthcare settings. It has highlighted the importance of digital tools, telehealth services, remote monitoring, and other technology-driven solutions to ensure continuity of care, reduce the risk of infection, and support healthcare professionals in their efforts.

As the discussion surrounding the prioritization of modern technologies in healthcare systems has evolved, it has become evident that these technologies are no longer optional but essential components for delivering efficient and accessible care. The positive experiences reported by individuals during the pandemic further emphasize the value of integrating technology into healthcare practices.

Moving forward, it is crucial for healthcare systems to continue embracing and refining technology-enabled care models, ensuring equitable access, data security, and interoperability. By doing so, healthcare providers can build on the momentum generated by the pandemic and create a healthcare landscape that effectively combines the benefits of technology with the personalized and compassionate care that patients deserve.

Digital Health is Difficult

The rise of technology companies has ushered in a culture of rapid product development and digital disruption across various industries. It is often assumed that digital technologies can simplify and improve efficiency in all areas, including health services. However, in healthcare, it is crucial to approach innovation with caution and avoid moving too quickly, as the consequences can be detrimental.

Underestimating the complexity of stakeholder groups and their interconnections is a common mistake in product development. Many teams attempt to build direct-to-consumer propositions without fully recognizing that healthcare professionals and insurers serve as the gatekeepers to consumers. Research Prospect shows that 61% of digital health companies that initially target consumers pivot to a business-to-business (B2B) model, selling to insurance companies, employers, hospitals, or other healthcare providers.

This type of pivot can be costly, leading us to question why it happens. Through our experience working with various industry players, we have come to the conclusion that management teams are often enamored by the possibilities of technology and fail to invest sufficient effort in understanding the needs and behaviors of the people who will use these digital solutions. However, it is worth noting that this generalization does not apply universally. Over the past decade, pharmaceutical and medical companies have begun embracing patient-centric principles, with 85% of companies planning to increase their investment in patient-centric capabilities in 2020.

Unfortunately, for teams just starting on this journey, the information available may be too high-level and not directly applicable to their work. At our organization, we aim to change that by sharing a better approach to creating digital solutions in healthcare.

Instead of focusing solely on inventing state-of-the-art technology without a clear purpose, we emphasize understanding the root causes of healthcare problems and designing technology solutions to address them. This approach aligns with the concept of need-driven innovation, a methodology practiced at institutions like Stanford University for designing and developing medical technologies.

By taking a need-driven approach, we can ensure that technology is purposefully designed to address real healthcare challenges. This shift in focus allows us to create digital solutions that have a meaningful impact and are more likely to be embraced by stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem.

At our organization, we are dedicated to guiding teams through this process and providing actionable insights and methodologies for developing effective digital solutions in healthcare. By combining a deep understanding of healthcare problems with appropriate technology, we can drive meaningful innovation and positive change in the industry.

Who to involve

In many project teams, the composition often consists of internal roles such as marketers, managers, and other team members who are not the end users of the product. However, it is crucial to involve users throughout the entire product development process. This user-centric approach is a critical part of building a successful strategy because the people you design products for are often different from the people you design products with.

To illustrate this point, consider the scenario of developing a solution to track the time children spend on their phones. It is natural that the most effective solution would be designed by someone who understands the needs and challenges of parents with children.

The benefits of co-designing with users are manifold. In the short term, involving users leads to more creative and inclusive ideas. It forces your team to think from an outside-in perspective and consider the actual needs and preferences of the end users. Co-design also allows for immediate validation of concepts, reducing the risk of failure and increasing the chances of success. In the long term, co-design fosters a stronger relationship between your brand and your customers, creating natural ambassadors who are more likely to advocate for your products. Additionally, it helps build a user test base that accelerates product development by providing valuable insights and feedback.

However, co-designing doesn’t stop at involving product users alone. To achieve success, it is crucial to have a cross-functional team composed of individuals from various departments, including marketing, IT, design, sales/support, and operations. Diverse teams have the advantage of drawing from a range of perspectives, insights, and expertise. This diversity enables teams to identify what aspects are important, how things work, how they are interconnected, potential pitfalls, and effective problem-solving strategies. Moreover, involving individuals from different teams helps generate the necessary commitment and momentum to drive the initiative forward.

Once you have the right people assembled, you can embark on the journey of product development with a stronger foundation. By prioritizing co-design and involving users and cross-functional teams, you ensure that the solutions being developed truly address the needs and expectations of the end users. This approach enhances the likelihood of creating innovative and impactful products that resonate with customers and contribute to the success and growth of your business.

Researching & Understanding

Creating great solutions requires a deep understanding of the unmet needs within the problem space. To achieve this, we begin by focusing on key issues, existing solutions, and the needs of all stakeholders involved, including insurers, healthcare professionals, and patients.

In order to gather comprehensive insights, it is essential to involve external parties early in the process. Our research methods combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches, ranging from traditional interviews to utilizing data science techniques to identify patterns in behavioral data. The diagram below provides an overview of the activities that should be conducted during this phase.

It is important not to rush through this phase, as the insights gained will serve as the foundation for envisioning a future state that aligns with business goals and stakeholder needs. Once a significant amount of information has been collected, we consolidate and analyze all the gathered data.

By taking the time to thoroughly understand the problem space and the perspectives of all stakeholders, we can develop solutions that effectively address the identified needs and challenges. This comprehensive approach ensures that the resulting solutions are well-informed, impactful, and aligned with the goals of all involved parties.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Finding opportunities by journey mapping multiple audiences

Journey maps are valuable tools for visualizing and understanding both existing experiences that require improvement and new experiences. Typically, journey maps focus on capturing the human experience by illustrating the story of a specific actor as a sequence of steps.

However, the versatility of journey maps allows for the inclusion of different types of information as needed. This can include touchpoints, pain points, gains, supporting technologies, business and technology processes, critical assumptions, emotional situations, key performance indicators (KPIs), and more. Depending on the specific information being attached and the purpose of the map, it may also be referred to as a “Service Blueprint,” “Experience Flow,” “Customer Journey,” and other terms.

An important aspect of creating journey maps is to place the stakeholders at the center of the canvas. This means that the information included in the lower sections of the map should directly relate to the actions and experiences of the stakeholders depicted in the upper sections. By connecting the different elements of the journey map in this way, we can gain a holistic understanding of the stakeholder experience and identify areas for improvement or innovation.

Including relevant information and ensuring alignment with stakeholders’ experiences allows us to create comprehensive journey maps that effectively capture the intricacies of the user journey. These maps serve as valuable tools for identifying pain points, opportunities, and areas for optimization, ultimately guiding the design and development of solutions that meet the needs and expectations of stakeholders.

Creating a vision that can be measured

At this stage, it is important to start formulating your vision and objectives for the solution. A vision statement provides a clear direction and purpose, while objectives outline specific goals to work towards.

In some cases, vision statements may lack quantifiable measurements to track progress. To address this, we recommend incorporating metric setting into the vision-building process. The North Star Framework offers a useful approach for combining vision and metrics to guide decision-making.

The North Star Metric is a single, key performance indicator that captures the core value the product delivers to customers. It serves as a leading indicator, aligning the key customer need being addressed with sustainable, long-term business outcomes. The accompanying image illustrates the canvas we often use for this exercise.

By identifying and defining the North Star Metric, we establish a clear focus that guides the product development journey. This metric acts as a compass, guiding decisions and prioritizations, and ensuring alignment with the desired outcomes.

Through the North Star Framework, we can effectively connect the vision, objectives, and measurement of progress, providing a comprehensive framework for driving the product’s success. This approach enables a clear understanding of how the product delivers value to customers and supports the achievement of sustainable business results.

It is crucial to ensure that the key performance indicators (KPIs) are aligned with your specific needs and the needs of your key stakeholders. These KPIs should directly support and measure the progress towards your vision and objectives.

With a clear vision and metric in place, the next step is to engage in a collaborative process of co-creating a digital experience that addresses the needs of your main audiences. By involving stakeholders and users throughout the design and development process, you can gather valuable insights, feedback, and ideas to shape the digital experience.

Co-creation allows for a more inclusive and user-centered approach, ensuring that the digital experience caters to the diverse needs, preferences, and expectations of your target audiences. By actively involving stakeholders in the process, you can enhance their sense of ownership and commitment to the final product.

Through effective co-creation, you can leverage the collective expertise and creativity of your team and stakeholders to design and deliver a digital experience that meets their needs and exceeds their expectations. This collaborative approach not only leads to more meaningful and relevant solutions but also fosters stronger relationships and partnerships with your stakeholders, creating a shared sense of purpose and mutual benefit.

Conclusion

The digital health industry is evolving rapidly, presenting both challenges and opportunities for healthcare companies. To truly succeed in this dynamic landscape, it is crucial to move beyond focusing solely on technology and instead prioritize a deep understanding of the people who will use the digital products or services.

By shifting the focus to user-centered design and constantly iterating the product strategy based on user feedback and evolving needs, healthcare companies can develop digital solutions that address the root causes of problems rather than just treating symptoms. This approach allows for the creation of products that are more effective, efficient, and aligned with user expectations.

Involving stakeholders throughout the design process is key to success. Stakeholders possess valuable knowledge about the target audiences, organizational capabilities, and technical feasibilities. Their input and insights are instrumental in shaping the product strategy and ensuring that it aligns with the overall goals and objectives of the revenue cycle management services providing companies.

By fostering a collaborative and aligned approach with stakeholders, healthcare companies can leverage their expertise and perspectives to make informed decisions and drive the development of impactful digital products. This collaborative effort helps create a sense of ownership and shared responsibility among stakeholders, leading to a higher likelihood of success.

Constantly learning, adapting, and iterating based on user needs and stakeholder insights is crucial in the ever-evolving digital health landscape. By embracing this approach, healthcare companies can stay at the forefront of innovation, deliver valuable solutions, and ultimately improve the healthcare experience for patients, providers, and other stakeholders involved.

Author Bio:

Nathan Bradshaw is a Senior Health IT Journalist, Researcher & Writer. With 15 years of Health reform, IT consulting, emerging technology assessment, quality programs, governance, compliance and information security experience, he is your go-to person for leveraging technology to gain competitive advantage. You can connect with Nathan at nathan.bradshaw@curemd.com