HSECare
Ireland
2025
Platform
HSECare is a proposed unified digital platform designed to enhance the patient experience within the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE).
HSECare
Ireland
2025
Platform
HSECare is a proposed unified digital platform designed to enhance the patient experience within the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE).
HSECare
Ireland
2025
Platform
HSECare is a proposed unified digital platform designed to enhance the patient experience within the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE).
HSECare aims to empower patients to proactively manage their health journey, from finding urgent care to navigating post-hospital discharge.
My case study outlines the design process and key features of HSECare, focusing on its potential to improve usability and clarity for patients across Ireland.
HSECare aims to empower patients to proactively manage their health journey, from finding urgent care to navigating post-hospital discharge.
My case study outlines the design process and key features of HSECare, focusing on its potential to improve usability and clarity for patients across Ireland.
HSECare aims to empower patients to proactively manage their health journey, from finding urgent care to navigating post-hospital discharge.
My case study outlines the design process and key features of HSECare, focusing on its potential to improve usability and clarity for patients across Ireland.
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, with information about available services being scattered and hard to find.
Solution
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.
The core principles guiding the design of HSECare are usability, ensuring the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate for users of all technical abilities; clarity, where information is presented in a clear, concise, and easy manner; accessibility, adhering to accessibility guidelines to ensure efficiency.
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.
Solution
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.
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, with information about available services being scattered and hard to find.
Solution
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.
The core principles guiding the design of HSECare are usability, ensuring the interface is intuitive and easy to navigate for users of all technical abilities; clarity, where information is presented in a clear, concise, and easy manner; accessibility, adhering to accessibility guidelines to ensure efficiency.
The Backstory
As a Master of Design student based in Maynooth, this conceptual case study for HSECare emerged from a briefing provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) of Ireland.
The HSE tasked us with exploring potential improvements to their current user experience for patients transitioning from hospital care back to their homes.
After recognizing the need for a more supportive and informative digital experience during this vulnerable period, through this project (though conceptual in nature), I aimed to address the challenges faced by post-discharge patients and propose a unified digital platform that prioritizes usability and clarity.
PART 1
Audit & Research
This phase of the project focused on understanding the existing landscape of post-discharge patient support within the HSE and identifying key areas for improvement.
Through a combination of preliminary research and user-centered methods, we aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by patients during this critical transition period.
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 care needs, and accessing necessary support, particularly for individuals with unique circumstances such as non-native citizens navigating a new healthcare system.
Objectives
01
Identify key pain points and challenges faced by patients following hospital discharge from HSE or any medical facilities.
02
Understand the specific needs and experiences of diverse patient groups, including non-native Irish citizens.
03
Explore existing HSE resources and support systems available 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.
Ethnographic research
To gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of post-discharge patients, we conducted an ethnographic interview with a mother and came up with a hypothetical user persona, "Mrs. Aggy."
PART 2
Ideation
Design
Building upon the insights gathered during the Audit and Research phase, particularly the experiences and needs highlighted by Mrs. Aggy, the Ideation phase focused on translating these findings into tangible design concepts for HSECare.
This stage involved exploring various possibilities for a digital platform that could effectively address the challenges faced by post-discharge patients and improve their overall experience.
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. This chatbot would act as a first point of contact for many common queries.
Redesigned Website
To serve as the central, authoritative source of information for all HSE services, designed with a user-centric approach 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 tailored and 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, everyone uses WhatsApp, right?" It's already on their phones, they know how it works – it's a no-brainer for reaching a huge chunk of the population, including folks who might not be tech-savvy or want to download another app.
Knowing how many people use their phones and the convenience of WhatsApp, I knew this mobile-first approach was crucial.
The initial thought was simple: "What are the most common things people need from the HSE, especially when they're just out of the hospital or need urgent help?" And then, I figured a chatbot could be a great first line of defense for a lot of basic things. Instead of having to Google around or call a bunch of numbers, you could just text the bot.
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 our audit 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) and book a slot that works for you. 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 empower patients with reliable and understandable information about their medications, helping them 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
Okay, 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, leveraging all the features that smartphones offer.
As a design student in Maynooth, 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
The end 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. Initially, I had some assumptions about the challenges – maybe it was mostly about medication or appointment scheduling. But talking to people, even through my user persona Mrs. Aggy, revealed a much more nuanced picture.
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 medical staff are fantastic while you're in the hospital, but that support suddenly drops off a cliff once you're discharged. This wasn't just about forgetting instructions; it was about a lack of confidence and a feeling of being left to navigate recovery alone, sometimes with limited social support, as highlighted in Mrs. Aggy's situation as a non-native citizen.
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. Hearing Mrs. Aggy's worries about understanding medical terms, knowing who to contact, and managing daily tasks while recovering brought the problem to life in a way that data couldn't.
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.
These insights moved us beyond simply designing features and pushed us to think about creating a truly empathetic platform that could provide not just information, but also a sense of guidance and reassurance during a vulnerable time.
Final words
So, bringing it all together, HSECare, born from a Master of Design project in Maynooth, is more than just a website or an app; it's a vision for a more compassionate and connected healthcare experience for everyone in Ireland. It’s about recognizing that the journey doesn't end when a patient leaves the hospital or the emergency department. That's often when they need the most support and clear guidance.
Imagine a future where a patient discharged from an ED in Dublin feels confident and supported because they have the HSECare app on their phone. They know exactly when their follow-up appointment is, they receive timely reminders for their medication, and they have a personalized guide explaining their recovery process in plain language. They can easily find information about local support services if they need them, and if a non-urgent question pops into their head, they can quickly ask the chatbot.
If the HSE were to adopt a solution like HSECare, it wouldn't just be about modernizing their digital presence. 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.
