Context
Meridian Health serves over 2 million patients across a network of clinics and hospitals. Their digital platform had grown organically over years, resulting in a fragmented experience that left patients confused and frustrated.
Patients were bouncing between multiple portals to book appointments, view records, and manage prescriptions — each with different interfaces and login systems.
Challenge
How might we unify a fragmented healthcare platform into a single, intuitive experience that patients trust and actually want to use?
- Appointment booking required 8+ steps across 3 different systems.
- 47% of patients called the clinic instead of using digital tools.
- Patient satisfaction scores for digital experience sat at 2.1/5.
- No clear information hierarchy — critical actions were buried.
Research
I conducted 12 in-depth interviews with patients across different demographics and comfort levels with technology. I also shadowed front-desk staff to understand the questions patients asked most.
Finding 1
Patients didn't want more features — they wanted fewer steps and clearer language.
Finding 2
Trust was broken by inconsistent experiences across portals. People felt lost.
Finding 3
Older patients relied on phone calls because the digital path felt risky and unclear.
Approach
I based the process on a simple rhythm: understand emotional friction, simplify the path, and validate with users in quick loops.
Listen
Mapped the full patient journey and identified the highest-friction moments.
Shape
Reframed information architecture around patient intent, not internal systems.
Test
Ran 3 rounds of usability testing to refine hierarchy, copy, and interactions.
Solution
The redesigned platform consolidates all patient actions into a single, unified dashboard. The interface prioritises the three things patients do most: book, check, and manage.
- One-tap appointment booking with intelligent provider matching.
- Unified patient dashboard showing upcoming visits, results, and prescriptions.
- Contextual guidance at every step — plain language, no jargon.
- Accessible design meeting WCAG AA across all touchpoints.
Key Flows
1. Book an Appointment
Reduced from 8 steps to 3. Patients select a reason, pick a time, and confirm — all on one screen with smart defaults.
2. View Results
Lab results surfaced with plain-language summaries alongside clinical data. Patients understand what's normal without Googling.
3. Manage Prescriptions
One-tap refills with delivery tracking. Clear status indicators replace confusing pharmacy codes.
Impact
After a 4-week pilot with 800 patients, the redesigned platform showed significant improvement across every key metric.
Reflection
Healthcare is deeply personal. The biggest lesson was that simplifying the interface was only half the job — the other half was earning trust through tone, transparency, and pacing.
If I were to continue this work, I'd explore how the experience adapts over time as patients build familiarity, and how we might support caregivers managing access for family members.