Medical Test Results App. Ideation and planning. IdeaLab ideation weekend, 2015.

Overview

A phone app with patient information text, online report, phone call, and approve buttons, and an on-call toggle.
Problem Statement: Design an app for on-call doctors that allows them to see, and confirm they have seen, test results in an easier and more efficient manner.
Self Moderated On-Call Status:
  • Eliminates need to figure out who is on-call.
  • Non on-call doctors can still monitor patients.
Direct Contact with Doctors:
  • Lessens the amount of “phone tag” needed.
  • Quickens response time.
  • Access to online reports within app.
Privacy and Hidden Phone Number:
  • App auto sends information to on-call doctors.
  • Calls though app rather than personal number.
  • Doctor’s actual phone number is not given out.

Current Process - “Phone Tag”

Test center inputs both standard and critical results into database, but on critical results calls the call center to make sure they see. Call center calls the service contact at the hospital. Service contact calls the on-call doctor at their house. The doctor must tell the call center that they saw the result in 1 hour for standard results and 20 minutes for critical results.

User Needs

A doctor holding a cell phone.
Doctors keep personal phone numbers private.
Three doctors talking.
Ability to identify which doctor is on-call when there is no set schedule.
An analog clock.
Confirmation that the doctor saw the results in a timely manor.
Someone picking up a wired desk phone.
An alternative solution in case the doctor does not respond in time.

Initial Ideation

Three clay figures, a tester a doctor and a call center worker, laid out in three different locations on a piece of paper. They are connected by a computer.
Using clay to express separate locations, to aid in understanding the problem.
White board covered in sticky notes and writing.
Team ideating app process on a white board with sticky notes.
Sketch of a phone app with a list of patients.
Sketch of a computer app with a list of patients and on-call doctors.
Example of initial ideation sketches.

Proposed App Process

Test center inputs into database the result, patient name, date of birth, critical status, and doctors name. The app checks the status and selects either the normal doctor’s number or the critical doctor’s number. The app sends the doctor all the information as well as the call centers number and starts a timer. The timer is shorter for critical results. The doctor can confirm they saw the results with the app. If they do not confirm within the timer, the call center is alerted to manually call the doctor using the old process.

Proposed App Concept

The main screen of the app with a list of patients results. Each item has the paitnets name, date of birth, normal doctor, and critical status.
  • On-Call toggle switch.
  • Color coded critical status.
A more detailed view of a result. An overveiw of the result is shown, with a button for the full online report, a call button, and a confirm button.
“Call” contacts call center.
A modal labeled 'Please Confirm. Have you read this report?'.
Double confirm in case of miss-clicks.