Kenyan Oncology Fund Communications System
Development of a communication and patient information portal for the Kenyan Oncology Fund, streamlining medical communication flows
Medical Communications System
Kenyan Oncology Communication System
The Earthworks
Project statistics
Core function
Communication
Core functions
6 sections
Stakeholders
HPC’s
User groups
National
NDA
Signed
Project type
B2C application
Project synopsis
The project involved creating a communications and patient information portal designed to improve interactions among healthcare professionals, government entities, and patients. The primary objective was to enhance information flow, which is vital for improving patient care and coordination among stakeholders in the local healthcare system. Recognising the specific contexts and challenges faced by users in the region was essential to the project’s success.
Overview
In addition to user experience and pathway testing, it was crucial to address the challenges of limited connectivity in certain areas of Kenya. Various propositions and solutions were developed to offer a wide range of communication methods to mitigate connectivity issues
UI’s presented are merely representations of the final product.
About the project
Collaborating with an agency specialising in medical system development, the project focused on designing and building a communications system for the Kenyan Oncology Fund. This system aims to enhance key areas of communication and workflow across the country.
Understand the User
Considering the product’s nature and the location, it was essential to understand the environments in which users would be operating.
Security
Ensure confidentiality of product usage to adhere to medical state standards.
Improved Communications
Facilitate communication flows among users through a variety of channels.
Reliability
Utilise the communication system to seamlessly integrate with the existing workflows of users.
Design Process ✍🏻
Understanding Limitations
Given the existing infrastructure and constraints in Kenya, communicating with local customers posed challenges, especially regarding international communications.
Local assessments were conducted to gain firsthand insight into the network and technological limitations we would encounter and to identify areas where we could provide support.
It became clear that a lightweight design approach would be essential for advancing the project effectively.
Understanding the User
The project aimed to establish a communications portal connecting government bodies, healthcare professionals, and patients to enhance the efficiency of patient funding allocation for treatment.
Information was collected from key stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patients, and government representatives, to identify current challenges. The emphasis was placed on government and healthcare professionals due to their critical roles in the project.
MVP Requirements
To define the product’s functionality, feature segmentation was employed to assess how the system would perform across diverse scenarios and identify optimal features for seamless cross-communication.
We investigated capabilities such as document transfer, messaging, voice calls, and smartboard integration for workshops. The aim was to design a low-touch user experience that delivers maximum functionality and enhances user engagement.
Design Ideation
While video communication was the preferred method, unstable connectivity led to the decision that voice recordings and chats would serve as the most effective substitute. Automatic transcripts and call logs were generated post-conversation, allowing healthcare professionals and government officials to review discussions and align on agreements — addressing a concern raised in prior user interviews.
To support an agile framework and optimise limited client interaction time, a fully functional low-fidelity prototype was developed as a downloadable PDF, enabling key stakeholders to provide feedback offline.
Designing for Limitations
After extensive feedback, we identified an ideal communications platform that effectively addresses current workflows while anticipating future needs.
We implemented a dual-login system that adjusts functionality based on user permissions. This required a comprehensive Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) system and the use of advanced UI frameworks to ensure users only access relevant conversations. The outcome is a streamlined, user-friendly experience tailored to diverse user requirements while maintaining compliance with confidentiality standards.
A familiar, yet unique Interface
Qualitative research revealed that tablets would be the primary medium for our product, leading us to adopt a mobile/tablet-first design approach that embraces app functionalities.
This perspective facilitated a straightforward construction process, enabling a modular development approach that promotes flexibility and adaptability throughout the design phase.
