Creating a New Waitlist Feature
UX Maturity:
Level 2 (Limited)
Timeline:
July - August 2024
Role:
Senior UX Designer
Problem
In the EHR platform’s booking system, handling rescheduled or cancelled appointments led to inefficiencies. Patients were unable to take advantage of newly opened slots, which resulted in both unutilized time for providers and missed opportunities for patients. The goal was to design a waitlist feature to manage patient appointments effectively and improve satisfaction.
Design Process
Initial Planning & Feedback: Operating on limited resources, I began with paper wireframes and drafted initial flows to outline the key questions I had at this early stage. This cost-effective approach allowed for rapid iterations based on internal reviews, which provided valuable insights and shaped the development of detailed user flows, later refined and finalized in FigJam.
Initial Ideas and Paper Wireframes
Workflow Design: Developed comprehensive user flows for the waitlist process, focusing on seamless booking, real-time notifications, and flexible cancellation options. These workflows were crafted to ensure the solution would be adaptable and user-friendly.
Waitlisting Flow 1
Waitlisting Flow 2
Stakeholder Collaboration: Partnered closely with the product owners, integrating their feedback at each stage to align the solution with both business objectives and user needs.
Solution
Waitlist Feature Design: Developed an intuitive waitlist feature seamlessly embedded within the existing booking system, simplifying access for patients when no immediate appointments were available.
Automated User Notifications: Established a notification flow to alert patients as soon as an appointment became available, giving them the option to secure the open slot or pass it on to the next in line.
Provider Management Tools: Added provider-facing tools to track no-show rates and efficiently manage waitlisted patients, optimizing resource allocation and appointment utilization.
User Flows:
Joining the Waitlist: Enabled patients to join the waitlist directly from the booking screen whenever immediate slots were unavailable.
Booking Notifications: Designed a notification system to inform patients of an open slot, allowing them to either book the slot or remain on the waitlist.
Waitlist Management in Patient Portal: Gave patients full control over their waitlist position, allowing them to manage and view their status through the Patient Portal.
Proposed Workflow 1 - EHR Staff
Outcome
Stakeholder Support and User-Centric Improvements: The waitlist feature designs were well-received by stakeholders, offering a robust solution that addressed significant user frustrations and optimized the appointment process. Though not implemented, these designs laid a valuable foundation for enhancing patient-provider interactions.
Effective Problem Solving and Communication: The project highlighted the importance of a user-centered, problem-solving approach in UX, particularly for managing booking inefficiencies. Clear notifications emerged as a critical component, ensuring timely and informative updates to patients.
Balanced Collaboration: Close collaboration with cross-functional teams underscored the need to balance patient needs with business efficiencies, resulting in a holistic, well-rounded design approach.