"The way we treat Veterans today is the reason they will choose us tomorrow."
- VA Executive
Improving the Patient Experience (PX)
Using Human-Centered Design to develop, test, and implement solutions that foster Veteran trust, empower employees, and help make VA the nation's healthcare provider of choice.
Project Type:
Full lifecycle, multi-million dollar service design contract with multiple projects that leveraged Human-Centered Design (HCD) to understand and address customer and employee pain points.
The Team:
As the Design Lead, I managed several project teams from 5 companies working side-by side with client team members and VA field representatives from across the country.
Designing Patient and Employee Experiences
Organizational change is both challenging and rewarding. Our small firm was awarded the contract upon completion of field research by the prior contractor team. As the Design Lead, I recruited a team of multi-disciplinary experts who complemented the existing team’s strengths and enabled us to achieve impactful outcomes, building trusted relationships with our clients.
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We co-designed and tested solutions, tackled VA's Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system (i.e., the 1-800 phone number), and revised hundreds of Veteran benefit letters to improve readability and ease, resulting in an improved Veteran experience. The case study depicts the work that resulted in the design and development of solutions that are still in place today, including VA’s celebrated Red Coat Ambassadors program, the WECARE and SALUTE to Recovery initiatives, and Patient Care rounding.
Understanding the Journey
The Patient Journey Map (below) was accompanied by an Employee Experience Map, a future-state version, and a Service Blueprint. This journey map highlights the Veteran's journey through outpatient care at VA.
Creating Design Concepts
With VA employees and Veteran customers, we co-designed 14Â design concepts focused on addressing both patient and employee experience. Â The team then refined three concepts into low-fidelity prototypes which were refined and field tested: - Notification Letter - A carefully crafted redesigned letter notifying Veterans of a change in their Primary Care Provider. The revised design emphasized clear and concise communication that also employed a warmer tone. - Commitment to Care - A collection of tools for staff to reflect on, plan, and demonstrate increased empathy and courtesy towards patients and each other. - Rounding for PX - A toolkit for non-medical multidisciplinary teams that check in with patients to build relationships, verify consistency of care, gather real-time feedback, and perform on-the-spot service recovery.
Field Testing
Be Curious, Listen, Observe, and Empathize
We deployed teams to several VA facilities across the country to meet with Veterans and their caregivers as well as VA employees, including front-line staff, managers, and leaders. The purpose of these site visits was to obtain feedback holistic feedback regarding the Notification Letter, Commitment to Care, and Rounding for PX design prototypes
What We Learned
- ​Facilitate Connections: When Veterans discovered that the employee serving them was a fellow Veteran, it quickly established rapport, and patients felt more comfortable. - Be Clear, Yet Compassionate​: Veterans want to be informed of changes as they occur, but also want to understand what happened to their previous doctor. The warmer tone of the letter made them feel appreciated and cared for. A "call to action" was helpful for caregivers and Veterans alike; but caregivers worried that the postcard version might get lost. - Visibility is Important: Posting staff quotes related to the Commitment to Care, as well as visual connections to VA's I CARE values using posters in the facility was a great way for visitors and staff alike to see and feel the heart and soul of the facility. - Externalize and Engage: Staff appreciated tools that they could customize for their facility. They sought interactive training where they could discuss the behaviors and practice them through role play. Engaging employees to physically write down their commitment to care fostered a sense of responsibility.
Implementing Lasting Solutions:
Red Coat Ambassadors (and More!)
The Red Coat Ambassador program is just one of the original concepts that was implemented across VA. Ambassadors assist with mobility services, kiosk navigation, and other information needs, enhancing the overall experience for Veterans from the moment they arrive at a medical facility. Equipped with a diverse team of both Veterans and non-Veterans, the program provides exceptional service to Veterans. This program sets a high standard in Veteran care by offering essential support and creating a welcoming atmosphere for Veterans, their families, and other visitors. This initiative became one part of VA's broader effort to improve patient experience across its medical centers. The commitment and pride of the Red Coat Ambassadors have earned them national recognition, underscoring their vital role in delivering quality care and support to those who have served our country. In addition to the Red Coat Ambassadors program, VA also implemented the Commitment to Care concept through "The VA WAY," aligning the WECARE behavior and the SALUTE to Recovery with the Agency's I CARE values and Own the Moment principles.