Patient Portal Redesign
Transforming patient experience with 89% adoption rate
OBJECTIVES
PROJECT TYPE
Website
A regional healthcare network's patient portal had a 23% adoption rate.
15 MIN · NO PREP REQUIRED
OVERVIEW
A regional healthcare network's patient portal had a 23% adoption rate. Patients preferred calling for appointments, refills, and test results—overwhelming the call center. We redesigned the portal with a mobile-first approach, achieving 89% adoption and dramatically reducing operational costs.
THE PROBLEM
The healthcare network invested $2 million in a patient portal five years ago. Despite that investment, only 23% of patients used it regularly.
The reasons were clear after user research: the portal was designed for desktop in an era of mobile. Navigation required 6+ clicks for common tasks. Error messages were cryptic. The visual design felt dated compared to apps patients used daily.
Patients who tried the portal once rarely returned. They called the appointment line instead—creating 15-minute waits and frustrated staff.
Meanwhile, competitors offered sleek apps. Patient satisfaction scores dropped, and leadership worried about retention in an increasingly competitive market.
CONSTRAINTS
- Must integrate with Epic EHR system
- HIPAA compliance is non-negotiable
- Must meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards
- Cannot disrupt ongoing patient care during transition
- Must work for patients aged 18-85
- Budget includes extensive user testing
DELIVERABLES
What we shipped.
Mobile-responsive progressive web app
Real-time appointment scheduling with provider availability
Secure patient-provider messaging system
Lab results viewer with plain-language explanations
Prescription refill request system
Telehealth integration for video visits
Multi-language support (English, Spanish, Creole)
KEY DECISIONS
How we solved it.
Native app or progressive web app?
Progressive Web App (PWA)
A native app meant maintaining two codebases and dealing with app store reviews. PWA gave us app-like experience, home screen installation, and offline capability—all from a single codebase. Push notifications filled the engagement gap.
How to handle the elderly patient population?
Large touch targets + simplified mode
We created an optional 'simplified view' with larger text, higher contrast, and fewer options per screen. User testing with 70+ patients validated the approach. This mode could be set as default by caregivers.
Real-time or batch integration with Epic?
Real-time via FHIR APIs
Batch updates meant stale appointment data and messaging delays. Epic's FHIR R4 APIs enabled real-time sync. Higher development cost, but crucial for user trust—patients needed to know their information was current.
OUTCOMES
Results delivered.
89%
Portal Adoption
Up from 23%—nearly 4x improvement in active users
-45%
Call Center Volume
Routine calls dropped, freeing staff for complex issues
72%
Online Appointments
Majority of appointments now scheduled through portal
+34 NPS
Patient Satisfaction
Net Promoter Score improved from +12 to +46
2.1 min
Average Task Time
Down from 8.4 minutes for common tasks
TIMELINE
Project phases.
Research & Discovery
Patient interviews, journey mapping, accessibility audit, Epic API assessment
Design & Prototyping
Wireframes, accessibility-first design system, interactive prototype for testing
User Testing Round 1
Test with 20 patients across age groups, incorporate feedback
Core Development
Build portal features, Epic integration, authentication system
User Testing Round 2
Validate with 30 patients, stress test Epic integration
Launch & Training
Staff training, phased rollout, monitoring, patient onboarding campaign
Ready to build?
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