"Through partnerships, collaboration and academic endeavours, we seek to set new standards for patient and family-centred care."
North York General Hospital; Toronto, Ontario
North York General Hospital (NYGH), a beacon of support in Toronto, stands as a high-volume institution prioritizing quality care, patient safety, and easy access to health information. The Branson Assessment Centre, its COVID-19 testing facility and a pivotal part of NYGH, has evolved to address the unique challenges of COVID-19 testing, reflecting the hospital's values of respect, integrity, excellence, compassion, and collaboration.
Amid the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, NYGH collaborated with a team of Information Designers, who recognized the need for a patient-centric approach at the Branson Assessment Centre. This narrative unfolds the journey of change sparked by patient feedback, government mandates, and a commitment to empowering patients through education and transparency.
In collaboration with Kaitlyn Bunka, Erabell Soltan, and Juman Salem
Performance Gaps
A needs assessment revealed performance gaps at NYGH and shed light on critical areas that require attention. These gaps include a lack of applied communication expertise, insufficient technical design skills, a traditional mindset hindering innovation, limited project management practices, coordination challenges between departments, and overall resistance to change. Addressing these gaps is imperative to pave the way for a smoother, more efficient operation.
Access Points
Understanding the current practices that counteract the identified performance gaps is essential. NYGH currently addresses certain issues by hiring contractors or design professionals for technical projects. Additionally, the implementation of dual roles and the utilization of internal employees aim to enhance coordination and project management. Recognizing and leveraging these access points can contribute to refining existing processes.
The complex nature of healthcare often involves jargon-heavy communication, a lack of empathy, and accessibility issues. Addressing these challenges required us to be mindful of diverse patient backgrounds and experiences. We approached the design challenge with a focus on empathy, problem-solving, and the application of instructional design principles, ensuring that our solution aligns with NYGH's commitment to excellence. To do this, we created patient personas to frame our problem.
To address the stressors faced by patients during COVID-19 testing, we ideated on several solutions but eventually landed on delivering a patient experience map. This map to be provided to patients upon appointment booking, guides them through three essential stages of their journey: booking, visiting Branson Assessment Centre, and leaving. It emphasizes transparency, reduces anxiety, and prevents misinformation by detailing key aspects and touchpoints during the patient's journey.
Redefining the Patient Journey
With the understanding that the patient experience extends beyond medical procedures, we conceptualized a solution that goes beyond mere COVID-19 testing. Thus, in addition to the patient journey map, enhancing signage and wayfinding throughout the Branson Assessment Centre was also integral. This design solution enhances communication and transparency before, during and after the patient's journey. The map and patient passport serve as tools to address uncertainty and miscommunication, and connect them with reliable and helpful resources whilst they await their test results.
