PROJECT CASE STUDY
A better healthcare communication system for the Irish
HSECare is a proposed unified digital platform designed to enhance the patient experience within the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) which aims to empower patients to easily manage their health journey, from finding care to navigating post-hospital discharge.
Role
UX Strategist
Year
2025
PROJECT CASE STUDY
A better healthcare communication system for the Irish
HSECare is a proposed unified digital platform designed to enhance the patient experience within the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) which aims to empower patients to easily manage their health journey, from finding care to navigating post-hospital discharge.
Role
UX Strategist
Year
2025
PROJECT CASE STUDY
A better healthcare communication system for the Irish
HSECare is a proposed unified digital platform designed to enhance the patient experience within the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) which aims to empower patients to easily manage their health journey, from finding care to navigating post-hospital discharge.
Role
UX Strategist
Year
2025
Challenge
The current landscape of accessing HSE services is fragmented and challenging for patients.
Key pain points include difficulty finding urgent care, often struggling to quickly locate the nearest and most appropriate urgent or emergency care facility, especially outside of regular GP hours.
Approach
I envisioned a user-friendly platform accessible via web, mobile application and a WhatsApp chatbot powered by AI, providing patients with a single point of access for various HSE services and information.
Challenge
The current landscape of accessing HSE services is fragmented and challenging for patients.
Key pain points include difficulty finding urgent care, often struggling to quickly locate the nearest and most appropriate urgent or emergency care facility, especially outside of regular GP hours.
Approach
I envisioned a user-friendly platform accessible via web, mobile application and a WhatsApp chatbot powered by AI, providing patients with a single point of access for various HSE services and information.
Challenge
CarDoctor workshops struggled with efficiently assigning mechanics to bookings received through the CarDoctor app.
Additionally, keeping customers updated on the status of their orders in real time was difficult, leading to delays, operational inefficiencies and reduced customer satisfaction.
Approach
I revamped the whole design system.
I implemented a management system that streamlined the process of assigning mechanics to each booking.
The system also enabled workshops to update order statuses in real time, with these updates instantly visible to customers on the CarDoctor app.
This innovation improved operational efficiency and enhanced customer communication, leading to higher satisfaction rates.
The Backstory
I crafted this conceptual case study for HSECare from a briefing provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) of Ireland, for one of my projects in my Master's of Design.
The HSE tasked us with a brief to explore potential improvements to their current user experience for patients transitioning from hospital care back to their homes.
— PART 1
The silent pain of post discharge patients
Problem statement
Post-discharge patients within the HSE system often experience a fragmented and unsupported transition back to daily life, leading to potential difficulties in managing their recovery, understanding their ongoing needs, and accessing support, particularly for individuals with unique circumstances such as non-native citizens.
Also, the medical staff are fantastic while you're in the hospital, but that support suddenly drops off a cliff once you're discharged.
Objectives
01
Identify key pain points and challenges faced by patients following hospital discharge.
02
Understand the specific needs and experiences of diverse patient groups, including non-native Irish citizens.
03
Explore existing HSE resources to post-ED patients and identify gaps or areas for improvement
04
Gather insights into the ideal user experience for a digital platform aimed at supporting post-discharge patients.
— PART 2
The outset for the solution
Design
Building upon the insights gathered during the Audit and Research phase, particularly the experiences and needs highlighted, the Ideation phase focused on translating these findings into tangible concepts for HSECare.
The whole HSECare ecosystem consists of three platforms:
AI-Powered WhatsApp Chatbot
To provide immediate, easily accessible information and support through a familiar and widely used messaging platform.
Redesigned Website
To serve as the central, authoritative source of information for all HSE services, designed to improve navigation, findability, and overall clarity.
Redesigned Mobile App
To provide patients with personalized and on-the-go access to key HSE services and information, offering a more interactive experience than the website.
The HSECare Chatbot
So when I was thinking about HSECare and how to make things really easy for people, especially when they're not feeling their best, the idea of a WhatsApp chatbot just kind of popped up.
It was like, "Hey, many use WhatsApp, right?" It's already on their phones, they know how it works – so it makes sense to reach huge chunk of the population, including folks who might not be tech-savvy or want to download another app.
Also, I reframed the assumption as a question: "What are the most common things people may need, especially when they're just out of the hospital or need urgent help?" And then, I figured a chatbot could be great for a lot of basic things.
Appointment check
Chatbot focuses on understanding the user's intent rather than forcing them through predefined paths.
GP Booking
Booking a GP Appointment - User needs a Flu Jab
GP Booking
After confirmation, the user can choose to see the GP's profile by tapping a link button which leads to the profile on the HSE Website.
Medication Reminder
The user can track their medication records and get reminded about when to take their medicine.
Symptom Diagnosis
Provides general care advice when a post-care symptom appears.
Appointment check
Chatbot focuses on understanding the user's intent rather than forcing them through predefined paths.
GP Booking
Booking a GP Appointment - User needs a Flu Jab
GP Booking
After confirmation, the user can choose to see the GP's profile by tapping a link button which leads to the profile on the HSE Website.
Medication Reminder
The user can track their medication records and get reminded about when to take their medicine.
Symptom Diagnosis
Provides general care advice when a post-care symptom appears.
Appointment check
Chatbot focuses on understanding the user's intent rather than forcing them through predefined paths.
GP Booking
Booking a GP Appointment - User needs a Flu Jab
GP Booking
After confirmation, the user can choose to see the GP's profile by tapping a link button which leads to the profile on the HSE Website.
Medication Reminder
The user can track their medication records and get reminded about when to take their medicine.
Symptom Diagnosis
Provides general care advice when a post-care symptom appears.
Appointment check
Chatbot focuses on understanding the user's intent rather than forcing them through predefined paths.
GP Booking
Booking a GP Appointment - User needs a Flu Jab
GP Booking
After confirmation, the user can choose to see the GP's profile by tapping a link button which leads to the profile on the HSE Website.
Medication Reminder
The user can track their medication records and get reminded about when to take their medicine.
Symptom Diagnosis
Provides general care advice when a post-care symptom appears.
The redesigned HSE website
I started by auditing the current hse.ie website. I quickly realized a few things: Navigations felt clunky. There were these massive dropdown menus with tons of options, and it wasn't always clear where to find what you were looking for. Sometimes, similar information was scattered in different sections which was just confusing.
So, with all these findings from buzzing in my head, I headed towards a simpler, more intuitive navigation. I decided to "rethink" the entire information architecture, focusing on the most common user tasks. I envisioned clearer categories and pathways to guide people to the information they need quickly.
I also wanted to make the search function a real workhorse, with the question in mind "How might we make it easier for people to find GPs or any medical information they need?".
Homepage and Search
Finding and connecting with a GP is such a fundamental part of healthcare, so I wanted to make this section of the website the first thing that the user sees.
After that, this GP search directory could allow you to filter by location, availability and their specialization.
GP Info and Appointment booking
Ideally, I'd integrate an online appointment booking system directly into the website.
This would allow you to see your GP's availability (if they've opted into online booking). You'd be able to view, reschedule, and cancel appointments online too.
Medication info
We know how important it is for people to understand the medicines they're taking, so I wanted to create a reliable and easy-to-use resource right on the HSE website.
You'd be taken to a dedicated page with comprehensive information about Codeine in this example. This section is to help patients to take them safely and effectively and to feel more in control of their health.
Aftercare
The Aftercare section provides a quick summary of their recent hospital stay and a clear reminder for an upcoming GP appointment in a few days. Today's medications are listed with dosage and timing hints. The most helpful feature was the tailored Aftercare Guide - which offers reassurance and practical support for a smoother recovery at home.
The HSECare App
Now, so after we had a solid vision for the HSE website, the next exciting step was thinking about the HSECare mobile app. I envisioned the app having the potential to be even more powerful and personalized than the website.
I was really keen to explore how we could take the core functionalities of the website and supercharge them for the mobile experience. I looked at the "Find urgent and emergency care" UI that I had started with for the website and thought, "How can we make this even faster and more intuitive on a phone?"
Homepage and Search
Location services are the obvious answer to finding a local GP - Imagine opening the app and, with just a tap, seeing a list of the nearest urgent care options, maybe even with estimated travel times or real-time waiting information if that was available.
GP
For routine GP appointments, the app would offer a convenient booking feature, same as the mobile website for consistency. The app would display available appointment slots, allowing users to select a suitable date and time.
— PART 3
Flashbacks of the journey
The journey of understanding the real problems faced by post-discharge patients was quite eye-opening, and our ethnographic research was instrumental in that.
One of the biggest lessons learned was the sheer feeling of being unsupported and almost abandoned after the intense care of a hospital environment. Patients, especially after an ED visit which can be a stressful and disorienting experience, often go home feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next.
The ethnographic approach really helped me uncover these emotional layers. Simply looking at statistics or existing website analytics wouldn't have revealed the anxiety and uncertainty that many patients experience.
Lesson learned
The "cliff edge" of care:
The stark contrast between the high level of support in the ED and the relative lack of structured support immediately after discharge was a recurring theme. This feeling of sudden isolation resonated deeply.
Info overload and retention:
Patients, under the influence of medication, struggle to retain and understand complex discharge instructions. The need for clear, simple, and readily accessible information in various formats became incredibly apparent.
The invisible burden of recovery:
The desire for burden-struck patients and their family for easily accessible resources and support networks is like a crucial need to address.
Final words
If the HSE were to adopt a solution like HSECare, it would be about truly putting patients at the center of their care journey. This concept, I believe, offers a tangible way to address the critical needs of patients post-discharge and contribute to a more efficient and patient-centered healthcare ecosystem in Ireland.
