CMMI APPRAISED Appraisal # 71051 | Exp. May 20, 2027
hospital

Introduction

A prestigious multispecialty hospital, catering to patients nationwide, sought our expertise to elevate their patient experience, streamline their OPD department, automate patient-related tasks, and establish a platform for continued online interaction between patients and doctors post-consultation. With a roster of over 120 specialist doctors and an average daily outpatient footfall exceeding 450, the hospital faced challenges with its conventional booking facility, prompting the need for a more efficient solution.

The hospital also faced several operational challenges due to its manual appointment scheduling system. This resulted in inefficiencies, errors, and wastage of resources. Additionally, frequent patient no-shows caused disruptions to the schedule and had an adverse impact on the clinic's revenue. The billing processes were complex and caused inconvenience for both patients and staff and sometimes revenue loss to the hospital.

Pained by the above challenges, the multispeciality hospital contacted SMARTnCODE Solutions to build an online app to streamline patient bookings, follow-ups, and payments.

SMARTnCODE Approach

At SnC, our objective was to not only craft a seamless and user-friendly app to tackle the aforementioned challenges but also to provide our client with a platform to transform the way their patients receive medical care. Our journey began with the intent to design and develop a holistic solution that would streamline appointment scheduling, enhance patient experiences, and optimize administrative processes within Healthcare facilities.

Approaching the project with a dedication to user-centric design and leveraging cutting-edge technology, we aimed to create a platform that not only met our client's specific needs but also delivered a seamless and intuitive experience for users. Through focused group interactions, we collaborated closely with our client to grasp their vision and requirements, ensuring that the final product surpassed expectations.

The Team

Our team consisted of experienced designers, developers, and project managers who brought a wealth of expertise to the project. We leverage our UX experts who have deep understanding of user needs, navigation habits and likes and dislikes. This was crucial for ensuring easy adoption of patients to the app. In addition we fostered a collaborative and innovative environment, encouraging team members to share ideas and work together to ensure a high quality product.

Blueprint and Project Management

Once the team was set our initial objective was to craft a blueprint that delineated the app's features, functionality, and user flow. This blueprint served as our guiding roadmap, steering our development efforts and keeping us on course. Employing agile project management methodologies enabled us to maintain flexibility and adapt to evolving requirements, facilitating the delivery of incremental updates. This approach not only ensured that we stayed responsive to change but also empowered us to continuously enhance the app's functionality.

Design Process

Our approach involved a structured design process:
  • 1. Understanding User Needs:Through extensive research, interviewing stakeholders and having a focused user group, we gained insights into user behaviors, needs, and motivations.

Our research included both secondary and primary research methods:
  • Secondary Research:We conducted desk research and analyzed similar apps in the market to understand existing trends and identify areas for improvement.

  • Primary Research:User personas were created for patients and doctors, and a questionnaire was designed to gather insights into appointment management, communication, and emergency handling.

Tech Stack Included
  • Front-End Development: We used React to build user interfaces, TypeScript to enhance code quality and CSS preprocessors for styling. Responsive design frameworks like Bootstrap ensured a consistent look across devices.

  • Back-End Development: Node.js and Express.js were used for server-side development, and MongoDB was used for database management. RESTful APIs handle communication between the front end and back end.

  • Authentication and Security:OAuth 2.0 and JSON Web Tokens were used for secure user authentication and authorization, while encryption protected sensitive data.

  • Cloud Services and Deployment: We leveraged AWS or GCP for hosting and scalability, Docker for containerization, and CI/CD tools for automated deployment pipelines.

  • Communication and Real-Time Features: WebSockets enabled real-time chat and notifications, while push notifications reminded users of appointments and medicine schedules.

  • Analytics and Monitoring: Google Analytics tracked user behavior and app performance while error-tracking services identified and fixed issues.

  • Defining Specific Problems:We captured and listed specific patientproblems , segregated them in various buckets and carved out their scope and priority to ensure our solution met our clients and their users' specific needs.

  • Generating Ideas:At SnC we always believe in conducting extensive brainstorming sessions that help us come up with new approaches to solve a problem. In this case, this exercise led to the development of innovative features and patient-centric offerings to enhance the user experience.

  • Developing the Solution:Once the wireframes, and frameworks were ready we started with the development work ensuring every feature was tailored to meet user expectations.

The system was deployed across the client’s entire fleet of delivery vehicles.

Major Features Implemented by SMARTnCODE

Our full-fledged app had the following key features
1.Online Appointment Scheduling

Patients can book appointments anytime, reducing phone calls and administrative workload.

Automated reminders minimize no-shows.

2.Integrated Billing System

Patients provide insurance details during appointment booking.

The app generates accurate bills, reducing billing errors and confusion.

3.Patient Portal

Patients access their medical records, test results, and upcoming appointments.

Improved patient engagement and self-management.

Other Key Features

The platform we created offers a wide range of features, including:
  • Booking video consultations and in-person appointments with doctors and specialists.
  • Hassle-free service for scheduling appointments and accessing lab and x-ray tests.
  • Medicine delivery by uploading prescriptions directly through the app.
  • Home visits by consultant doctors for added convenience
  • Augmented reality for improved doctor-patient communication
  • Emergency button for immediate assistance during emergencies.
  • Basic first-aid information for quick help.
  • Medicine reminders for timely doses
  • Step-by-step first-aid guidance through a virtual assistant.
  • Saving and sharing digital reports and documents anytime, anywhere.
  • Smart filters, search, and recommendations for a personalized experience.

Results: Making every patient experience count

The app resulted in our client reaping the following benefits.
1. Efficiency Gains

Administrative staff now spent little time on appointment scheduling.

Resource allocation is optimized, leading to cost savings.

2. Reduced No-Shows

Automated reminders decreased the hospital no-show rates by 20%. This leads to providers allocating time more effectively.

3.Streamlined Billing

The hospital's billing errors were reduced by an impressive 30%. This resulted in improving patient experience and winning their confidence with transparent billing processes.

4. Enhanced Patient Experience:

Positive feedback from patients regarding convenience and accessibility.

Improved patient-provider relationships.

After a meticulous development phase, the app was launched with a strategic marketing campaign within the hospital through kiosks, standees, and digital displays highlighting its innovative features and benefits. For app adoption the hospital also shared attractive benefits for patients. This led to a significant amount of patient adoption. Once onboarded the patients quickly embraced the platform, impressed by its intuitive user interface and user-friendly dashboards that made booking appointments, follow-up checks, ups, accessing medical records, and managing prescriptions effortless.

This intuitive design led to a high adoption rate, with users praising the app for its convenience and ease of use. Today, the app has become an essential tool for the hospital, facilitating smooth transactions, including bill payments, and streamlining their overall service offering.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our collaboration with our client resulted in the creation of a healthcare solution that has transformed the way their patients accessed medical consultations and other healthcare services. The platform's user-friendly interface and innovative features have set a new benchmark for patient service, accessibility and convenience. We continue to work closely with our client to further enhance and expand the platform, ensuring it remains at the forefront of healthcare technology.