Work
Advancing Equity in Patient Experience at Providence Health
Client
Providence Health System (52 hospitals, 1085+ clinics)
Timeline
3 months, 2023
Role
Service Design + Research Consultant
Team
Patient + Market Experience Service Design Team
Voice of Customer
Voice of Customer
Project Overview
This project was an offshoot coming out the Continuous Discovery concept work I was doing concurrently with Providence. I distilled the Opportunity map into a targeted series of strategic Outcomes + Opportunities wherein we could create and rebuild trust between Patients and Providence, I was also made aware of a recent Voice of the Customer survey. The survey detailed the significant delta between the Hispanic Experience dissatisfaction being a disproportionately low related to any other patient group. As this was identified, I orchestrated and lead the effort to create a series of prioritized behavioral intervention experiments that could be used to help solve these problems via additional research and a workshop with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
Takeaway 1: Mapping Opportunities with the Continuous Discovery Framework
My approach was rooted in the philosophy that "We all do better when we all do better." I advocated for and received approval to explore and address the specific needs of the Hispanic patient population. This exploration was guided by the principle of "Solve for one, extend to many," focusing on cultural and language barriers, wayfinding, and service expectations. Key interventions included:
- Digital Preference Exploration: Recognizing that 75% of the Hispanic population prefers Spanish for healthcare communications, we prioritized digital channels to facilitate understanding and engagement.
- Pain Point Identification: Through VoC (Voice of the Customer) work, we identified critical pain points such as reliance on third parties for communication and navigation challenges within the hospital system.
- Benchmarking and Modeling: Inspired by Kaiser Permanente’s comprehensive services, we aimed to replicate their success in offering bilingual staff, cultural sensitivity training, and fully Spanish clinics for culturally inclusive care.
- Strategic Workshops: Employing the Continuous Discovery Framework augmented with Jobs to Be Done and Behavioral Science, we conducted workshops to identify behavioral interventions. This included a series of activities aimed at pinpointing specific patient behaviors to target for improvement.
Continuous Discovery Opportunity Map
Based on Teresa Torres Continuous Discovery Habits. This map was used as a catalyst for a series of workshops, as both a tool for aligning, learning, and ideation.
After identifying Critical Opportunity spaces that ladder up to the highest Revenue Cycle goals of "Making Bad Debt a Thing of the Past" by way of "Get Educated on Cost" and "Increase Awareness of Payment Options," I started to explore how Behavioral Science could address these moments that matter in the care journey. After conversation with stakeholders, I orchestrated and hosted a hybrid Experiment Workshop for 16 people (14 in-person, 2 remote).
Takeaway 2: Innovation Exploration + Doubling Down on Evidenced-Based Experiments
The workshop methodology, inspired by the mycelium analogy from the Tokyo Transit Experiment, proved to be exceptionally effective. This approach allowed us to explore a wide array of solutions and refine our focus on the most impactful pathways. It was clear that specific, actionable interventions could significantly enhance the patient experience, particularly for those facing language and cultural barriers. The exercises of Key Behaviors, Crazy-8s, and Storyboarding facilitated deep dives into potential solutions, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration within the team.
Ideation Workshop 2: I split the Service Design team into 3 small groups, utilizing the Opportunity Map as a catalyst. I facilitated a series of Behavioral Science exercises to identify Key Behaviors that we could create small, measurable experiments to impact the desired outcome.
Aggregated Service Blueprint to map Front + Backstage actions, and patient pain points + opportunities, so we can understand the end-to-end journey, as well as the teams, systems, and processes that support it.
Experiments of Pre-Natal Care Experiences to help prepare patients for the Clinical, Financial, and Emotional maternal care path.
Takeaway 3: Transforming Healthcare Accessibility and Efficiency
This initiative is anticipated to significantly reduce service costs while improving access to care for Hispanic patients, thereby increasing patient retention, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements, and potentially reducing the "Leave Without Being Seen" metric by up to 3%. The strategic application of the Continuous Discovery Framework, along with targeted behavioral interventions, offers a scalable model for addressing similar challenges across different patient demographics.The success of this project underscores the importance of empathy, strategic thinking, and continuous innovation in healthcare service design. It highlights my role as a principal strategist in influencing organizational direction, shaping innovative solutions, and driving meaningful change. This case study serves as a testament to the power of service design in creating more inclusive and accessible healthcare experiences.
