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A fast-paced project evaluating stakeholder satisfaction within an ancillary health clinic.
A fast-paced project evaluating stakeholder satisfaction within an ancillary health clinic.
Ancillary health services offered at the clinic include audiology, speech and language services, psychotherapy, couples and family therapy, behavior services, and others.
Problem
Problem
As a result of COVID-19 recommendations, ancillary health services shifted from primarily being delivered as in-person services to being exclusively available through telehealth.
This large shift in how services were delivered prompted an evaluation into stakeholder satisfaction with the new primary delivery method and how to improve clients' and clinicians' experiences going forward.
My role: UX Researcher
Setting: Academic-based ancillary health clinic
Tools: Qualtrics, Google Suite
Project Timeline: 14 weeks (planning through final report)
Deliverables: Leadership and stakeholder presentations; Final recommendations
Method
Method
As a UX team of 1, I began by collaborating with clinic leadership to identify research objectives. Following these preliminary discussions, I developed research questions and proposed research methods to meet those objectives and questions.
After refining and iterating these plans with clinic leadership, the study moved forward with clear and shared objectives.
Research Questions
Research Questions
What aspects of the transition facilitated the clients’ shift toward telehealth appointments? What aspects hindered the transition?
What is the level of satisfaction of clinic stakeholders with the existing telehealth implementation?
What is the stakeholder interest in the continuation of telehealth services after COVID-19?
Deliverables
Deliverables
Stakeholder survey results
Slide deck summarizing results
Formal written report of study findings
Findings
Findings
A sample of the findings can be found within this slide deck.
Identified Key Pain Points
Identified Key Pain Points
Clients
Clients
Lack of online billing & payment
Technical difficulties
Clinicians and Student Supervisors
Clinicians and Student Supervisors
Billing
Technical difficulties
Digital paperwork
Client refusing telehealth services
Student Clinicians
Student Clinicians
Client engagement
Technical difficulties
Hardware difficulties
Service limitations
Staff
Staff
Lack of online billing & payment
Supporting telehealth services
Setting up telehealth sessions
Increased responsibilities
Recommendations
Recommendations
Many pain points were identified throughout the project, but these recommendations were selected as the highest priority due to available resource limitations and the impact each action could have on the organization’s overall telehealth delivery. A key factor in the priorization was addressing the pain points for the largest number of stakeholders in one task/effort.
1. Consolidate scheduling process
1. Consolidate scheduling process
100% of clinic staff that participated in the survey expressed a preference for a majority or all of future appointments to be scheduled for in-person appointments. We discovered that due to the additional tasks required to support telehealth appointments, the current scheduling process was unsustainable and needed to be adapted immediately to reduce stress on administrative staff.
2. Implement an online payment system
2. Implement an online payment system
This was a huge theme throughout various stakeholders-- clients, clinicians, and staff all commented on the additional barriers and frustrations resulting from a lack of an online payment and billing system.
3. Investigate consolidating clinician devices
3. Investigate consolidating clinician devices
Student clinicians expressed frustration with having to deliver telehealth utilizing multiple devices (iPad and a laptop computer). This concern impeded clinicians’ ability to flow through their telehealth sessions and may have reduced clinicians’ ability to provide their best services during their sessions.
4. Investigate insurance reimbursement
4. Investigate insurance reimbursement
A lack of insurance coverage for telehealth sessions was brought up as a financial concern by both clients and clinic staff.
Impact
Impact
Three main actions were prioritized as a result of the study findings:
- Streamline virtual visit process
Reduced task and time burden on administrative employees
Now allow clinicians to independently start their own telehealth sessions
- New hardware for student clinicians providing telehealth services
Decreased the number of devices necessary to provide services
Improved integration of resources into telehealth sessions as a result of device consolidation
- Investigation into online payment integration (Due to software and institutional barriers this had previously been dismissed)
The organization is currently researching other institutions that have overcome these barriers
"Thanks again for your hard work on the project! It really motivated [us] to create a better operational workflow."
"Thanks again for your hard work on the project! It really motivated [us] to create a better operational workflow."
-Clinic Operations Manager
-Clinic Operations Manager
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