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Healthcare App - Missed Appointments in Danish Healthcare

Nearly one in five patients in Denmark miss hospital appointments. The causes range from long travel times and complex wayfinding to outdated communication methods and lost updates.

This highlights a pressing need for more user-friendly and reliable digital solutions in healthcare.

Client
MinSP Danmark

Year
2024

Scope
User Research, User Journey Mapping, Stakeholder Interviews, Healthcare Communication, Concept Proposal

Tools
Miro, Figma, Google Forms

Challenge

Missed hospital appointments are a significant challenge in the Danish healthcare system, affecting nearly one in five patients. The issue is particularly prevalent among young, male, socially disadvantaged, and ethnically diverse citizens, but system-related factors such as staff errors, long waiting times, and complicated transport also play a role. Hospitals are notoriously complex environments where wayfinding is difficult, especially for stressed and unprepared users.

Despite Denmark’s reputation for digital innovation, communication about appointments often relies on outdated letter formats, and phone-based updates are frequently lost - highlighting a need for more user-friendly, reliable solutions.

Goals

To design a (prototype of) one or more app(s) that does some (or all) of the following:

  • receives input in the form of letters (in PDF format) from the Danish health authorities delivered to the recipient’s electronic mailbox

  • converts the information into contacts, calendar appointments, to-dos, reminders, travel schedules, etc.

  • helps the user navigate from the point of arrival at the hospital to the exact indoor location for the appointment

The Process

Empathizing with Users

We started by conducting interviews with six participants, including patients and nurses within the Danish healthcare sector. Through thematic analysis of these interviews, we identified 3 main problem areas:

  • wayfinding & transportation,

  • appointment scheduling, and

  • accessibility.

Hand-drawn sketches of a mobile app and website layouts for a personal dashboard, including sections for news updates, calendar, maps, and navigation instructions.

We then created empathy maps to understand users' needs, pain points, and goals.

Prototyping and Iteration

We developed prototypes featuring enhanced navigation and appointment reminder functionalities.

These included:

  • a floor plan overview,

  • integration with third-party apps like Google Maps,

  • real-time ETA updates,

  • onboarding processes, and

  • customizable notification settings.

Bar chart showing survey results on healthcare app usability and features. Categories include number of apps, usability, appointment-making, notification system, navigation, and information finding. Responses range from very dissatisfied to no opinion.

Through iterative testing and feedback, we refined these features to ensure usability and effectiveness.

Ideation and Concept Development

Using the Design Thinking and Double Diamond frameworks, we engaged in extensive ideation sessions. Key activities included the "Four-Step Sketch" method, which helped us generate and refine ideas. Our focus was on creating user-centered solutions that addressed the identified problems.

Sequence of onboarding app screens showing login button, navigation information, and personal preferences setup, including toggle for elevators and start button.
Three mobile app screens displaying a calendar and appointment details. The first screen shows a collapsed view of June with the 3rd highlighted. The second screen shows an expanded view of June with the 3rd highlighted. The third screen displays a list of appointments on May 5th, 2024, at Frederiksberg Hospital, including location, map link, phone number, and appointment type marked 'EKG'.
Sequence of four mobile phone screens showing settings menu for notifications and appointment reminders with toggle switches on and off in different states.

The Findings

User Insights and Pain Points

Navigation

Users struggled with poor signage and complex layouts within healthcare facilities, leading to stress and missed appointments.

Appointment Reminders

The existing notification system was inadequate, with many users forgetting appointments due to a lack of timely reminders.

Accessibility

Users faced challenges accessing health data and scheduling appointments through the existing app.

Two smartphones displaying health and hospital location apps, with one showing a onboarding screen to personalize the app, and the other showing a hospital's details including address, phone number, and directions.
Bar chart showing patient satisfaction levels with healthcare apps on various features, from very dissatisfied to no opinion, with different categories for each feature.

Both groups showed varied satisfaction with notifications; English speakers were more dissatisfied (35.7% dissatisfied, 7.1% highly) than Danish participants (16.7% dissatisfied).

Design Solution

Improved Signage and Digital Navigation:

Clear, multilingual signage and an interactive digital navigation tool integrated into the app.

Customizable Notifications:

Options for users to receive reminders via SMS, email, or both, with settings for different notification times.

Enhanced User Experience:

Onboarding processes and a swipeable list of steps for navigation, similar to Google Maps, to guide users through healthcare facilities.

The Results

Positive User Feedback
 Users reported a significant improvement in their ability to navigate healthcare facilities and remember appointments. The customizable notification system was particularly well-received, helping reduce the number of missed appointments.

Increased Engagement and Satisfaction
 The enhancements led to increased engagement with the MinSP app and higher overall satisfaction among users. Healthcare professionals also noted improved efficiency in patient management.

Impact on Healthcare Efficiency
 By addressing key pain points, our solutions contributed to a reduction in missed appointments and better patient flow within healthcare facilities, highlighting the effectiveness of user-centered design in solving complex healthcare problems.

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