User Experience Challenges in Global Health Solutions

A mother receiving cancer treatment still packs lunches every morning. A nurse managing chronic pain continues her hospital shifts. A daughter undergoing physical therapy coordinates her father's medical appointments. These aren't just patients - they're caregivers whose own health journey intertwines with their responsibility to others. We often design healthcare experiences assuming patients can focus solely on their own healing. Yet for many, pausing their caregiver role isn't an option. They navigate treatment while maintaining their essential role in others' lives. This reality demands more thoughtful design. These individuals need scheduling flexibility that acknowledges their dual roles. They need clear information they can process while distracted. They need spaces that accommodate the children or parents they can't leave at home. Their support needs differ too. Traditional support groups might be inaccessible to those caring for others. Education materials designed for focused attention might miss their mark. Even simple things, like appointment scheduling, take on new complexity when balancing multiple care responsibilities. Understanding these intersecting journeys becomes crucial. How might we design care experiences that support not just the patient's healing, but their ability to maintain their caregiver role? How could we create spaces that accommodate both receiving and giving care? The opportunity lies in recognizing these dual roles and designing healthcare experiences that acknowledge this reality. Because sometimes the most supportive care is the kind that helps patients continue caring for others. The best solutions will come from truly understanding these overlapping journeys - seeing patients not just as individuals seeking care, but as essential threads in the fabric of others' lives.

I've watched 3 "revolutionary" healthcare technologies fail spectacularly. Each time, the technology was perfect. The implementation was disastrous. Google Health (shut down twice). Microsoft HealthVault (lasted 12 years, then folded). IBM Watson for Oncology (massively overpromised). Billions invested. Solid technology. Total failure. Not because the vision was wrong, but because healthcare adoption follows different rules than consumer tech. Here's what I learned building healthcare tech for 15 years: 1/ Healthcare moves at the speed of trust, not innovation ↳ Lives are at stake, so skepticism is protective ↳ Regulatory approval takes years usually for good reason ↳ Doctors need extensive validation before adoption ↳ Patients want proven solutions, not beta testing 2/ Integration trumps innovation every time ↳ The best tool that no one uses is worthless ↳ Workflow integration matters more than features ↳ EMR compatibility determines adoption rates ↳ Training time is always underestimated 3/ The "cool factor" doesn't predict success ↳ Flashy demos rarely translate to daily use ↳ Simple solutions often outperform complex ones ↳ User interface design beats artificial intelligence ↳ Reliability matters more than cutting-edge features 4/ Reimbursement determines everything ↳ No CPT code = no sustainable business model ↳ Insurance coverage drives provider adoption ↳ Value-based care is changing this slowly ↳ Free trials don't create lasting change 5/ Clinical champions make or break technology ↳ One enthusiastic doctor can drive adoption ↳ Early adopters must see immediate benefits ↳ Word-of-mouth beats marketing every time ↳ Resistance from key stakeholders kills innovations The pattern I've seen: companies build technology for the healthcare system they wish existed, not the one that actually exists. They optimize for TechCrunch headlines instead of clinic workflows. They design for Silicon Valley investors instead of 65-year-old physicians. A successful healthcare technology I've implemented? A simple visit summarization app that saved me time and let me focus on the patient. No fancy interface, very lightweight, integrated into my clinical workflow, effortless to use. Just solved an problem that users had. Healthcare doesn't need more revolutionary technology. It needs evolutionary technology that works within existing systems. ⁉️ What's the simplest technology that's made the biggest difference in your healthcare experience? Sometimes basic beats brilliant. ♻️ Repost if you believe implementation beats innovation in healthcare 👉 Follow me (Reza Hosseini Ghomi, MD, MSE) for realistic perspectives on healthcare technology

How do you feel about your work email inbox? Do you love it or hate it? Do you find it easy or hard to manage? 📧 Now, imagine having two email inboxes. One for your regular business communication, and another for your health care communication. One place where you deal with messages from patients, team members, other providers, auditors, and more. 😱 And that's not the end of it. You also have to keep up with important information in your business email too, regarding guideline changes, standard changes, protocols, policies, and updates on patient care. All this, without any dedicated time for either. 😓 These systems are called electronic health records (EHRs), and they are supposed to help providers document and manage their clinical work. But instead of making their lives easier, they often make them harder. EHRs are complex, cumbersome, and frustrating to use. 😞 Research shows that EHRs can cause many problems, such as: 🩺 Lower quality of care and patient safety 💥 More medical errors and adverse events 😔 Less clinician satisfaction and well-being 💸 Higher costs and inefficiencies These problems are not simple or easy to solve. They have many causes, such as: 📋 Too many regulatory and administrative requirements 💻 Poor usability and functionality of EHR systems 🚫 Lack of interoperability and data sharing 🙋♂️ Not enough training and support 🧑🤝🧑 Poor workflow and team integration So, how can we fix these problems and improve the health care system for everyone? Here are some possible solutions: 📝 Simplify and standardize documentation and reporting practices 🖱️ Improve EHR usability and user experience 🔄 Enable data interoperability and exchange 🙋♀️ Provide more training and support 🩺 Involve broader care teams in clinical note documentation 🤖 Use artificial intelligence and automation to help with EHR tasks 🗣️ Advocate for policy changes and incentives to reduce EHR burden As a clinician and a health care leader, I believe that EHRs have the potential to transform health care for the better. But we need to overcome the challenges and barriers that prevent us from realizing this potential. We need to work together to create a system that supports clinicians, patients, and health outcomes. 💯

Boomers can’t navigate patient portals. Gen Z won’t tolerate outdated tech. Healthcare leaders: When was the last time you experienced your patient portal through the eyes of a confused 70-year-old or an impatient 20-year-old? The digital divide isn’t a patient problem – it’s a UX design problem. Here’s why: 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀: • Less than 30% actually use portal features, despite 90% of providers offering them.[1,2] • Clunky interfaces, tiny fonts, confusing menus that no glasses can translate. • Digital confusion and trust issues prevent seniors from accessing critical care. 𝗚𝗲𝗻 𝗭: • Zero tolerance for slow, outdated UX. • Quick to abandon clumsy apps and portals. • Expect seamless experiences like Instagram or Netflix. Anything less pushes them away. The good news? We can bridge the gap for both groups. Here’s how: ✅ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀: Mobile-first designs, minimal clutter, clear language, intuitive navigation. ✅ 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻: Multi-modal UX + AI (voice, video, chat) that meets users where they are – whether 25 or 75 years old. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗨𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Involve Boomers, Gen Z, and everyone in between to co-design solutions that actually work. ✅ 𝗔𝗜 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Use AI to personalize and simplify tasks, not complicate them. Make it a UX ally, not a gimmick. The bottom line? Great UX bridges generational divides. Bad UX creates them. – What’s your best (or worst!) example of generational UX in healthcare? Let’s design digital healthcare that works for everyone – not just some imaginary “average” user. - Sources: (1) Pymnts https://lnkd.in/gUuQKkZj (2) Medsphere https://lnkd.in/gBWvRGFm

Most UX challenges are annoying. Healthcare UX challenges can be deadly. That’s not hyperbole. It’s reality. We’re not just nudging conversion rates - we’re untangling medical jargon, preventing errors, and designing for people under stress, pain, or fear. And yet, most product teams still treat healthcare like it’s just another vertical. It’s not. It’s a minefield of legal risk, edge cases, and user types who don’t read tooltips. Healthcare UX doesn’t just need empathy. It needs systems thinking. It needs translators between clinicians, patients, and engineers. It needs researchers who can explain regulatory impact. If you’re a UXer looking for meaningful work - you’ll find it here. But come ready.