I have been a virtual healthcare subscriber with a service that I won’t name, but we’ll call it Rx Health, for over a year now. I quickly became convinced of the benefits of virtual care, namely the ability to schedule time with a variety of health professionals virtually.
However, the Rx Health website itself lacks nuance and is misaligned with my goals as a user. For example, there are several details pertaining to my subscription like appointment hours left in my allotment that are not easily available but essential to using this service. Users are required to reach out to support for this information.
The landing page permanently displays instructions that only pertain to brand new users and there is no option to close it out.
The exemplifier
When I think of a web app that makes me feel in control and aware of pertinent information specific to me, I think of the Asana platform. While you can house infinite amounts of project details, it’s easy to access high-level details at a glance.
Asana not only gives you information in an easy-to-use dashboard, it actually gives users control of what information is available in these dashboards. I wish I could snap my fingers and add this feature to my virtual health platform.
The psychology
There are several psychological benefits to having high-level data combined into one page, especially on a platform like a virtual healthcare dashboard. Here are some of the key benefits:
Reduced cognitive load
Easier information processing: When high-level data is consolidated into a single page, users can access all critical information without switching contexts. This reduces the mental effort required to find and process information, making the experience smoother and less tiring.
Quick decision making: With all essential information at their fingertips, users can make faster and more informed decisions, which is crucial in a healthcare setting where timely actions are often needed.
Improved usability and efficiency
Time saving: Users save time by not having to navigate through multiple pages to find the information they need or, in my case, message support for important details. This efficiency can increase user satisfaction and reduce frustration.
Seamless navigation: A single-page overview reduces the need for extensive navigation, which can be particularly beneficial for users who are less tech-savvy or have limited experience with digital interfaces.
Better data comprehension
Contextual understanding: High-level data presented together allows users to see correlations and trends more easily, aiding in a better understanding of their health status. For instance, users can see how their activity levels impact their blood pressure or how medication adherence affects their symptoms.
Holistic view: A consolidated view helps users see the bigger picture of their health, rather than fragmented pieces of information. This holistic understanding can lead to more informed and proactive health management.
Reduced anxiety and increased trust
Consistent and reliable: Consistently seeing all critical information in one place builds trust in the platform’s reliability and ease of use, which is particularly important in healthcare.
Clear overview: This one is a big one for me. A well-organized dashboard that provides a clear overview of health data can reduce anxiety by making users feel that they have all the information they need to manage their health. The importance of this for healthcare data cannot be overstated.
The improvement
I took an hour to explore how a home dashboard could be added to this Rx Health web app to improve its usability.
I kept some of the existing information, like the new podcast, and added the ability to close out that card if desired.
Below this is an overview of the subscription beginning and end and the appointment time used and available. This information is critical and will weigh in when deciding to schedule an appointment.
I also added a highly visual link to scheduling a new appointment, which is likely one of the main reasons users visit the Rx Health web app.
Below this is a table of past appointments which then link to additional notes from the staff and associated documents or tests.
The conclusion
Defining the best data and content for the dashboard is a product design problem that I love to work through.
By incorporating high-level data into a single page, you create a more intuitive, efficient, and satisfying user experience, which is critical in maintaining user engagement and trust in a virtual healthcare platform.
I explored this with my own experience on the Rx Health app and found that users could absolutely benefit from a dashboard landing page.