HealthForAll
Improving healthcare access for low-income individuals and seniors in Panama.
The Project:
HealthForAll is an innovative mobile application designed to significantly improve access to medical treatments and healthcare services for low-income individuals in Panama. It specifically addresses the needs of seniors and those with limited digital literacy, aiming to be an intuitive and accessible tool to facilitate essential medical care access.
Project Duration:
February 2025 - Present
The Problem:
In Panama, low-income individuals and seniors often face significant barriers to accessing affordable medical treatments. These challenges include financial constraints, limited information about available healthcare options, and difficulties navigating digital platforms due to varying levels of digital literacy.
The Goal:
To design and validate an intuitive, accessible, and user-friendly mobile application that empowers low-income Panamanians, particularly seniors, to easily find, schedule, and utilize discounted medical appointments and services, thereby bridging critical healthcare access gaps.
My Role & Responsibilities:
As the Lead UX/UI Designer for HealthForAll, I was responsible for the end-to-end user experience and interface design. My work encompassed user research planning, user flow conceptualization, wireframing, prototyping of core functionalities, and the full visual UI design.
The Project Goal
The General Goal:
To significantly enhance the user experience in accessing healthcare services and discounts, by eliminating digital and economic barriers for low-income and senior populations in Panama.
Specific Goal:
- Specific: To facilitate access to affordable medical treatments for low-income individuals in Panama through an intuitive and accessible mobile application.
- Measurable: To achieve 1,000 user registrations within the first three months post-launch. Additionally, to reach 300 medical appointments scheduled through the application within the same period.
- Achievable: This goal is achievable through the implementation of a simple and accessible user interface (as designed for appointments, coupons, and clinics), strategic collaboration with clinics and hospitals to offer real and relevant discounts, and a targeted marketing and outreach strategy aimed at the target population.
- Relevant: Improving access to healthcare for vulnerable populations directly aligns with the mission of promoting health and well-being in the Panamanian community, contributing to equity in access to essential services.
- Time-bound: The measurable objectives are set to be achieved within the first three months following the application's launch.
Objective of Onboarding:
The user's journey for HealthForAll begins with the landing page, which serves as the initial phase of onboarding. Its primary objective is to generate awareness of the app's benefits and build initial trust through clear, empathetic communication and compelling visuals.
Following this initial introduction, the in-app onboarding (primarily the registration and login flow) is designed to:
- Generate further trust and demonstrate the immediate value of the application, while adapting to low digital literacy users.
- Drive conversion to registration and/or first use, by continuously reinforcing the app's benefits and guiding the user through necessary data completion with clear Calls to Action (CTAs).
- Ensure the design is empathetic, secure, and intuitive, making the initial in-app experience as smooth and reassuring as possible.
Focused User Flow
The core user flow addresses a user's need to schedule a medical consultation, leveraging discount coupons.
- Start: The user arrives at the Landing Page where they verify their eligibility for discounts, then proceeds to registration and login.
- Search: Navigates to the Clinics and Hospitals section to search for associated or nearby establishments.
- Service: Selects the desired medical service.
- Coupons: Views available Discount Coupons that apply to the consultation.
- Scheduling: Selects an available appointment date and time (in-person or online).
- Confirmation: Confirms appointment details and finalizes the booking.
- Reminder: Receives an automated appointment reminder.
- Management: Can view, modify, or cancel existing appointments from the Upcoming Appointments section.
- History: Accesses their Appointment History to review past consultations.
UX Research Methodologies
User Interviews:
- Methodology: Conduct individual semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of low-income individuals in Panama, including seniors.
- Objective: To deeply understand their current needs, specific challenges they face when accessing medical services and using mobile applications, their expectations, technological barriers, and habitual behaviors (e.g., do they use their own mobile phones or those of family members? What is their level of confidence with technology?).
Usability Testing:
- Methodology: Conduct moderated, in-person, and task-based usability tests with application prototypes (interactive high-fidelity mockups).
-Participants: Representative users from the target population will be involved (seniors, individuals with low digital literacy).
- Execution: Participants will be asked to complete key tasks (e.g., "Schedule an appointment with a gynecologist using a coupon," "Find a hospital near you," "Cancel an appointment"), while their interaction is observed, clicks, task times are recorded, and friction points, errors, or confusions in navigation and interface comprehension are identified.
- Measurement: Metrics such as task success rate, task completion time, and user satisfaction (through post-task questionnaires, like the SUS - System Usability Scale, or simply open-ended questions) will be recorded.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Success
The following specific KPIs will be tracked to measure project success, with target values established for the first three months post-launch:
User Registration Rate:
- Definition: Percentage of unique visitors who complete the registration process.
- Goal: > 15% of unique visitors.
Number of Appointments Scheduled:
- Definition: Total number of medical appointments confirmed through the application.
- Goal: 300 appointments within the first three months.
Monthly User Retention Rate:
- Definition: Percentage of registered users who return to the application in the following month.
- Goal: > 60%.
Appointment Flow Completion Rate:
- Definition: Percentage of users who initiate the appointment scheduling process and successfully complete it.
- Goal: > 75%.
User Satisfaction (NPS/CSAT):
- Definition: Average user satisfaction score, obtained through in-app or post-appointment surveys.
- Goal: NPS > 30 or CSAT > 4/5.
Coupon Usage Rate:
- Definition: Percentage of viewed coupons that are utilized in a scheduled appointment.
- Goal: > 10%.
Target Audience
The design of HealthForAll is specifically aimed at:
- Low-income individuals in Panama: Individuals and families seeking access to affordable medical treatments, including consultations, diagnostics, and medications.
- Seniors in Panama: A key segment that often faces economic and technological access barriers due to pensions or limited incomes.
- Individuals with low digital literacy: For whom the application's interface must be fundamentally intuitive, visual, and easy to use, minimizing the learning curve. (As suggested, this implies considering whether they use their own mobile phones or those of family members, if they need assistance with tasks, and adapting the design to available means).
- Individuals with potential language barriers: While the focus is Panama (Spanish), foreseeing a language change option (or universally comprehensible icons) is crucial for inclusivity.
- Users with visual impairments: For whom options for font size adjustment, appropriate color contrast, and clear descriptions for interactive elements will be considered.
Project Deliverables
- Detailed User Requirements Document.
- User Flow Diagrams for core functionalities (Schedule Appointment, Search Clinic, Use Coupon).
- Low and High-Fidelity Wireframes of the user interface (including list/map views for clinics).
- Interactive Application Prototype (in Figma).
- Complete User Interface (UI) Visual Design for key screens.
- Usability Testing Results and Analysis.
Team Roles & Responsibilities
UX/UI Designer (Valerie): Responsible for all user research, conceptualization, user flow design, wireframing, prototyping, user interface (UI) visual design, and usability testing planning for the HealthForAll project. This was an individual design project, with invaluable feedback and guidance provided by Diego González (Mentor).
Success Criteria
The key criteria defining the success of this UX project are directly linked to the project's goal and key metrics. HealthForAll will be considered a success if we achieve:
- Improved Accessibility: The application is perceived by the target audience (especially seniors and individuals with low digital literacy) as a genuinely easy-to-use and intuitive tool for finding and scheduling appointments and discounts, which will be verified through the Appointment Flow Completion Rate and User Satisfaction (NPS/CSAT).
- Measurable Impact on Healthcare Access: Demonstrate significant platform adoption, evidenced by meeting the objectives for User Registrations and Appointments Scheduled within the established timeframe.
- Promotion of Care Continuity: The application successfully encourages users to return and remain active, which will be measured through the Monthly User Retention Rate, indicating that they find continuous value in the platform.
- Utilization of Benefits: Users actively leverage coupons and discounts, which will be reflected in the Coupon Usage Rate.
Design & Prototyping
Building upon the insights gathered from our user research and guided by the defined user flows, our design process focused on crafting an intuitive and accessible mobile experience. Below, you'll find a visual representation of the key screens and interactions that bring HealthForAll to life, highlighting our solutions to the identified user challenges.
The Landing Page
This landing page serves as the initial touchpoint. It's designed with clear, large text and inviting visuals to immediately convey HealthForAll's value: simplified, affordable healthcare access. Its purpose is to build initial trust and encourage users, particularly seniors and those with low digital literacy, to explore the app further.
Home Screen
This Home screen serves as the user's central dashboard after logging in. It's designed to provide quick access to the most frequent and essential actions. Through a clean layout and prominent navigation elements, users can easily find options to schedule new appointments, view their upcoming bookings, explore available coupons, or search for clinics, ensuring an intuitive and efficient start to their app experience.
Appointment Management Flow
This section highlights the key screens designed to help users efficiently manage their medical appointments, from confirmation to historical review.
Schedule an Appointment
This crucial screen guides users through the seamless process of booking a medical consultation. Designed for clarity and ease of use, it allows users to intuitively select their desired service, physician, date, and time. Large touch targets and clear navigation ensure a straightforward booking experience, especially for users with varying levels of digital literacy.
Appointment Confirmation
After successfully scheduling an appointment, this screen provides immediate reassurance and vital details (date, time, location, doctor). Clear calls-to-action like "View My Appointments" guide users to their next logical step, ensuring they feel confident and informed about their booking.
Appointment History
The Appointment History screen allows users to easily review all their past medical consultations. This feature provides a valuable personal record, enabling users to track their healthcare journey and refer back to previous appointments when needed, promoting continuity of care and better personal health management.
Coupons
This screen serves as the central hub for users to discover and access valuable medical discounts. A prominent search bar allows for quick filtering of offers, while the infinite scroll functionality provides a seamless Browse experience. Coupled with a "View More" button, this design ensures users can effortlessly explore a comprehensive range of available coupons, making affordable healthcare easily discoverable.
Clinics & Hospitals Search
This screen is crucial for connecting users with nearby healthcare providers. Integrating the Google Maps API, it offers a dual view: a clear geographical representation of clinics and hospitals with intuitive pins, and a scrollable list below providing detailed information. Users can easily search, filter, and view essential details like ratings, distance, and contact options directly from this screen, significantly simplifying the process of finding accessible medical facilities tailored to their needs. This design prioritizes locality and ease of discovery, vital for our target audience seeking convenient access to care.
Interactive Prototype
Experience the core user journey of HealthForAll firsthand by exploring the interactive prototype below. This prototype showcases the key flows, from searching for a clinic to scheduling an appointment and leveraging discounts, demonstrating the intuitive navigation and accessible design principles applied throughout the application. Click through the screens to navigate and understand the seamless user experience we aimed to create.
Key Learnings & Future Steps
Key Learnings & Challenges Overcome
1. Deep Understanding of Digital Literacy in Seniors:A fundamental discovery during this project was the significant digital literacy gap among many seniors. I learned that while they use their devices for basic functions like calls, navigating and understanding more complex interfaces presents a considerable challenge. This insight underscores the critical importance of designing experiences that are not only simple but also anticipate and compensate for difficulties in reading and independent mobile interaction.
2. Inclusive Design and User Empowerment:Designing for users with low digital literacy proved to be a complex challenge, as each individual exhibited distinct difficulties (ranging from basic issues like adjusting volume to more advanced tasks like taking a photo). To address this, my approach centered on user empowerment. I implemented solutions that grant them direct control, such as the ability to adjust font size, easily change the language from a single location, and utilize familiar interaction patterns within the appointment scheduling flow. Furthermore, I prioritized reducing unnecessary steps in the process to make the experience as fluid and gratifying as possible.
Next Steps
3. Design Expansion and Usability Optimization:Key next steps include finalizing the design of the remaining application screens and creating a responsive desktop version, ensuring a consistent and accessible experience across multiple devices. A fundamental pillar will be the continuation of iterative usability testing to validate existing solutions, identify new friction points, and explore the feasibility of incorporating additional functionalities that continuously enhance the user experience.
Personal Reflection
4. The Importance of Digital Inclusion and Empathy in Design:This project has reinforced, both professionally and personally, the profound importance of integrating our seniors into the digital world in a simple and secure manner. I observed that one of their greatest concerns is the fear of making mistakes, which often prevents them from further engaging with technology. This highlights the need for designers not only to create intuitive interfaces but also to actively understand and address these emotional barriers, fostering an environment where users feel safe and supported at every step. Being readily available to help and explain the function of each element is crucial for building that trust.