The Challenge
MedCare Health Systems serves over 2 million patients across 50+ facilities. Their legacy patient portal, built in 2008, was creating friction at every touchpoint.
Patient Pain Points
- Complex Navigation: Patients couldn’t find basic features
- No Mobile Support: 0% of the site was mobile-responsive
- Limited Self-Service: Appointment scheduling required phone calls
- Poor Accessibility: Failed WCAG compliance standards
- Security Concerns: Outdated authentication methods
Organizational Challenges
- High Support Volume: 50,000+ calls/month for portal assistance
- Low Adoption: Only 23% of patients used the portal
- Compliance Risks: HIPAA audit findings needed remediation
- Staff Frustration: Nurses spent hours helping patients navigate
Our Solution
We designed a completely new patient experience from the ground up, prioritizing accessibility, security, and ease of use.
Design Principles
- Accessibility First: WCAG 2.1 AA compliant with screen reader support
- Mobile Native: 60% of patients access from mobile devices
- Task-Oriented: Designed around what patients actually need to do
- Secure by Design: Zero-trust architecture with biometric authentication
Key Features
- Smart Dashboard: Personalized view of upcoming appointments, medications, and messages
- One-Tap Scheduling: Book, reschedule, or cancel appointments in seconds
- Telehealth Ready: Integrated video visits with virtual waiting room
- Health Records: Easy access to test results, visit summaries, and imaging
- Medication Management: Refill requests and pharmacy integration
- Secure Messaging: HIPAA-compliant communication with care teams
The Results
Patient Impact
| Metric | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Portal Adoption | 23% | 78% |
| Patient Satisfaction | 62/100 | 89/100 |
| Mobile Usage | 0% | 64% |
| Self-Service Rate | 15% | 75% |
Operational Impact
- Support call volume decreased by 60%
- Appointment no-show rate dropped from 18% to 12%
- Patient message response time improved from 48 hours to 4 hours
- Staff portal-related training time reduced by 80%
Conclusion
The new MedCare patient portal has transformed the patient experience, making healthcare more accessible and convenient for 2 million+ patients while significantly reducing operational costs.
