This project was led and conducted by me alone in collaboration with product partners and using UserZoom.

The aim of this was project was to make significant and tangible improvements in the way specific HMO and PPO network members access benefits, care options, and health solutions at a time of active need. This project focused on bringing transparency to what members can get and broaden opportunities by delivering new products for young, price-sensitive! And low-healthcare users. Care Hub is the proposed solution that was tested in addition to general benefit awareness by these target users.

• Lead researcher supporting Member “Manage My Plan” product team

• Gathered questions, goals, and tasks, completed qualitative analysis, and developed report to be shared with partners

Unmoderated, Think-Out-Loud Usability Testing: A clickable prototype was provided to participants with example scenarios and follow-up survey questions.

The study contained sections to address:

• Benefit Awareness: Are member participants aware of the At Home benefits?

• Comprehension: Does the content make sense?

• Organization: Are the options in the correct order? How would members like to search for information?

• Decision-Making: How do members make decisions between the options

• Completeness: Are any important options missing?

• Discovery of copay pill tags: Do members notice the copay pill tags? Do they wonder about the cost of urgent care?

Multiple choice, rating, ranking, and open text questions were required.

13 partipants (HMO and PPO) were recruited to participate via UserZoom.

Overall, Care Hub was considered easy to use and an improvement on their existing Find A Doctor experience.

• Most of the content and benefits made sense. However, many members did not know what At Home (Heal) visits were.

• Members ranked “See a doctor” as more important than “Talk to a nurse”

  • Recommendation: The order of the options could be slightly tweaked.

• Speed was the most important factor in making a decision.

  • Recommendation: Consider providing information as to how long it takes to receive care for the various options.

• Members also wanted options such as “Talk to a doctor” (as opposed to a nurse), OTC and home remedies, and alternative medicine.

• Some did not notice the copay pill tags.

This study was conducted on a very tight timeline and required recruitment out of our usual pool. With more time, interviews and additional surveys to better understand these low-healthcare user types would help to highlight features (the comments raised additional needs as well) and sort information in a meaningful and valuable way.