WORK - REAL CASE
Challenges of integrating telemedicine and prescription systems
ROLE
Product Designer
DEVICES
Web and mobile
YEAR
2022
Telemedicine system integrated with functionalities for prescribing medicines and other medical services, developed for health plans.
Background
During consultations via telemedicine, healthcare professionals had to switch between the care system and a separate system for prescribing medication. This break in the flow compromised the continuity of the consultation and the visual connection with the patient, negatively impacting the care experience.
Main goal
The main goal was to create a seamless care experience for healthcare professionals by integrating prescription functionalities into the telemedicine system without compromising the workflow of doctors who also worked in face-to-face appointments.
Challenges
There were two different versions of the medical prescription system, one of which was still under development;
The telemedicine system was legacy and directed exclusively to a single version of the prescription system, limiting integration and compromising the user experience;
Strategic change in the product's positioning to include doctors who provide face-to-face care;
The need to design a complete medical care journey, considering screening, medical records and prescriptions, in a unified and fluid way.
The design process was carried out in collaboration with product and technology teams, with a focus on understanding existing flows, identifying opportunities for improvement and proposing a viable solution in line with the needs of healthcare professionals. Below, I highlight the main stages carried out during the project:
Analysis of existing systems
We mapped the functionalities of telemedicine and prescription systems to understand what could be reused or adapted. We evaluated aspects such as the digital signature flow, legal requirements and technical limitations.
Certainties, Assumptions,
and Doubts Matrix
We organized the initial learnings into a matrix to guide the next stages of the project. This helped us understand what needed to be maintained, modified or validated with the technical team.
Technical and functional validation
We held sessions with PO, Tech Lead and Frontend to validate hypotheses, define business rules and align what was technically feasible.
We designed an integrated solution that would allow the doctor to remain in the same environment throughout the entire day of care, including:
Although it wasn't implemented, the solution generated in this project brought valuable lessons about processes, alignment between areas, and adapting existing solutions. Participating in a context of strategic change and a product in transition broadened my view of the impact of design on different business fronts. Among the main lessons learned, I would highlight:
Product strategy matters
Strategic product changes directly influence design decisions and require constant alignment with the team.
Many solutions don't start from scratch
Complex projects don't always have to start from scratch, it's possible to adapt existing solutions.
Phased deliveries
Being clear about what can be delivered in stages helps ensure real progress in the user experience, even if the complete solution takes longer to implement.
New product in other time
Although the proposal developed was not implemented at the time, it served as the basis for the creation of a new system, which was later consolidated as a new product in the company's portfolio.