The Problem
With the success of technology projects like the MyMSK mobile app, and ongoing development of projects such as MSK Meds, and breakthroughs in medicine that promise to make cancer a more manageable, less disruptive disease, MSK was realizing it might be facing a transformation of it’s care models in the near future. Our team was tasked to analyze societal & industry trends, as well as unmet consumer needs, in order to build a bold vision of the future user experience of cancer care. How might we leverage digital technology to extend care beyond our walls, and into new populations?
Role & Team
I was partnered with one other designer to drive this initiative, in collaboration with multidisciplinary partners throughout the hospital.
Background
In 2015, I was involved in the creation of the Digital Patient Care Ecosystem map, an ongoing endeavor to seek out where digital tools can provide value for patients throughout the existing patient journey. Based on research with our patients, it visualized where and how digital features and functionalities address patient needs along patient journey.
In parallel, several strategic initiatives began to explore where else, beyond current care models, that the hospital may be able to expand into.
We built on this work with a larger analysis of industry trends, in order to develop 5 initial “sacrificial concepts” to get feedback on in a workshop that gathered stakeholders from across the hospital.
Kickoff Workshop
“Be Bold,” was our charge from hospital leadership, and to stay true to that mission we conducted a survey of societal, technological, and healthcare trends in order to craft 5 strategic scenarios for the future of technology in healthcare.
In a workshop of over 30 representatives from across the hospital, we used these scenarios as a jumping off point to gather excitements, fears, ideas, and success criteria from these subject matter experts across the hospital.
This workshop socialized the scope of the vision, and helped us plan the next phase of our research to further refine opportunity areas for the institution.
Research
Expert Interviews
After the workshop, we followed up with stakeholders from across the hospital, to better understand their workflow, pain points, and dreams for how technology might impact the work they do. In addition, we conducted observations and in situ interviews in 4 different clinics to better understand the intricacies of how complex care plans are coordinated.
Patient Interviews
We conducted in-depth interviews with patients and caregivers in order to understand their needs as they relate to digital technology touchpoints as a part of their care experience.
Competitive Analysis
We conducted an analysis of the digital tools implemented at other cancer institutions, as well as benchmarking digital experiences consumers were experiencing outside of healthcare. We benchmarked these against our user needs in order to illustrate the gaps and opportunities to deliver a differentiated and patient-focused digital experience.
Final Deliverables
We presented three strategic digital services to leadership.
The services were presented through the story of Maria, a user who encounters MSK before, during, and after her experience with cancer, from prevention and wellness, through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
They also illustrated the experience of the MSK staff, supporting their care of Maria and their mission of furthering research in the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer.
The scenarios were presented as posters, allowing them to be hung up in the offices of senior leadership, where they’ve stayed, continuing to influence conversations about the direction of the organizational strategy.
Outcomes
The final suggestions were well received by leadership at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and continue to influence strategic priorities today.
Two of the three suggested services are being developed into new capabilities and offerings at the institution, including Precision Prevention, a project I continued to carry forward.