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When I'm not immersed in the world of design, I find joy in a range of creative activities. From painting and pottery to engaging in epic D&D adventures, these outlets fuel my imagination and allow me to express myself. Nature serves as a constant source of inspiration for me, reminding me of the vastness of the world and our place within it. A nature walk is my favorite passtime. Coming from a Fine Art background, I also have a deep appreciation for museums, where I get to travel back in time and explore the wonders of art and culture.

If you want to chat or work together, let’s connect :)!


Sequoia Senior Healthcare






Project Background


Most people in the United States are not satisfied with the current healthcare system, especially for seniors. There are many existing problems such as low doctor presence, long waiting times, and stressful healthcare environments, which make it difficult to access healthcare. The purpose of this project was to tackle those problems in the current healthcare systems, and bring affordable, transparent, and efficient service to the seniors.


Goals


Come up with a solution that can bridge the gap between healthcare and seniors’ needs by providing better access to exponentially better medical care. We want to design a healthcare service that is affordable, efficient, friendly, and also empowers seniors to be confident and be in charge of their well-being.

PROJECT TIMELINE
5 weeks

MY ROLE
User Experience Design
User Interface Design
Web Design

PARTNER
Christine Chang

TOOLS
Sketch
Adobe Illustrator
Photoshop





Opportunities


According to The Commonwealth Fund’s Research, 83% of retirees made use of private healthcare rather than Medicare, the number has tripled since 2004. A retiree in the US can expect to pay around $5,000 out of pocket for medical expenses a year. There are usually hidden medical costs that make people pay way more than they are supposed to, and sadly they rarely get good service in return — the average waiting time to see a doctor is very long, and 30% of patients over 70 years old are more incovenienced than when they arrived at the hospital due to bad experience.


Solution


Sequoia is a senior healthcare facility that utilizes the latest technology and offers concierge experience, and Sequoia App is a healthcare app that is used within the facility by staff and patients. As a subscription-based healthcare service, Sequoia believes in patient-centered philosophy, aims to change the way we utilize health insurance in America, and commits to cover all healthcare needs in one place. 



Seniors who stay at the facility will get to enjoy the latest technology, which includes Sequoia dashboard App that helps monitor their health and makes it easier to communicate with the doctors. The mission is to create one-on-one relationships with our patients, provide high-quality care, reduce healthcare costs in the long run and therefore, empower the users to be in control of their own well-being through healing and prevention.





Survey Response — Current Healthcare System


We sent out a survey to 40 seniors, and gathered results of what people don’t like about current healthcare system.





Personas


Within the demographic we sent out the survey to, we picked 1 persona pair and analyzed their pain points based on empathy map.







The Facility


  1. Built with materials that protect against the spread of infection
  2. Follows biophilic design philosophy and uses natural light and natural elements to help patients feel connected to life and nature
  3. Sequoia provides a warm, friendly and welcoming ambiance, the interior is neutral colored and decorated with art and plants to reduce stress
  4. Digital kiosk for patient check-in
  5. Private waiting rooms and hubs for long term stay
  6. Private transportation

To see more research and details on the facility, interior design and biophilic design, click here to check out the research document.




On-boarding process


The onboarding process in the Sequoia facility is fairly easy, there are staff and digital kiosks that assist patients with information inquiries, creating a profile, adding medical history, and checking
into the facility.











Survey Response — App Features


App features: within the same survey, we asked the seniors what app features they would like to be on the dashboard that could help make their life easier.




Ideation


Based on the survey, we came up with the wireframe for the app with the desired features. The user profile on the left corner will help the patient check-in, and the main dashboard will reflect the real-time data. No more long waits, Sequoia makes it easier to connect with doctors with the “Live Chat” section.



App interface


We wanted to make the dashboard approachable and easy to use by designing a clean and simple interface. Because our demographics likely have vision problems, we made sure the minimum type size is 16px and the color contrast passes the WCAG accessibility checker.



Video of the Main Task Flow: Chatting with a Doctor





Landing Page




Summary


After multiple usability testings with 2 seniors and meetings with 3 UX professionals, we gathered lots of feedback and made improvements on color contrast, typography, and menu. Because of the specific audiences, I learned to really listen to their needs and think about accessibility when I design.


Next Steps


Wearable technology is an innovative solution for healthcare problems. After designing the dashboard app, we saw an opportunity to integrate wearable devices into Sequoia, so in the future they can provide continuous, more accurate monitoring and prevention, as well as help improve the physical and psychological well-being of the patients.