HealthSpace is an app that builds a healthy journey between the BIPOC patients and healthcare specialists, building trust, comfort and accessibility to all. This project was a submission to HackViolet, a 24 hour female-empowerment hackathon with over 600 participants, and was rewarded “Best Design with Security in Mind.” I collaborated with two team members with specialities in business and marketing to produce a viable prototype.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
The Problem
Systemic racism is putting black women’s lives at risk
According to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), healthcare providers are less likely to deliver effective treatments to people of colour when compared to their white counterparts. Perhaps more disturbing statistic is that black patients are more likely to receive less desirable treatments.
Studies show that 60% of black women in Canada experience racism in the healthcare system.
In fact, black women are also three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.
Mental health doesn’t discriminate, so why do BIPOC communities have difficulty accessing care?
Research shows that BIPOC groups are:︎
Providers do not reflect the communities they serve
In 2015, approximately 86% of psychologists were White while by contrast, only 2% of American Psychological Association members were Black. The lack of diversity can create a significant gap in experiences and understanding between providers and those seeking treatment.
HealthSpace is creates a safe, accessible space for the BIPOC community to connect with culturally competent BIPOC healthcare professionals.
User Research
Before moving straight into development, my team conducted user research, giving us a clear vision of the problem and our potential solution. We found Twitter to be an effective resource to observe personal experiences and encounters with racism in the health care system.
These tweets were a combination of experiences in Canada and UK.
User Interviews
Despite the limited time given, we still felt it was necessary to conduct interviews with BIPIC members to enhance our understanding about where the health care system failed to fulfill their needs. We successfully interviewed 10 different BIPOC participants ages 20-45.
Questions
Insights
HealthSpace’s Key Concepts
Mid Fidelity Wireframes
Prior to developing high fidelity wireframes, we generated mid-fidelity wireframes to inform the functionality of the app. This is also when we began to define specific elements and visual hierarchy, providing more accurate depictions of the layout.
Find your health care specialist by using the search engine or browsing through the categories of specialties. Apply any personal preferences to fit your needs.
Get to know your potential health care professionals by looking into their profiles. We provide you with key information about their background and experience to ensure they are the right fit for you.
Navigate through a variety of self-assessments to help you understand the state of your health. Take a general health assessment, a mental health quiz, or undergo the Health Vitals Self-Scanner which uses your camera to measure your vitals. Information is stored “Your Records”, which can also be shared at future doctor appointments. My Records syncs doctors notes and forms directly after appointments, without the need to request it.
Contact your healthcare provider through an online chat and address any questions or concerns you may have prior to meeting virtually or in-person. Exchange pictures, documents, files to provide further understanding about your healthcare needs.
We automatically keep track of all your appointments for you by adding events to your calendar immediately after booking.
