Summary
In partnership with Epic, a well-known healthcare software company, I designed and delivered an AI-driven plugin of SaaS Platform - Epic MyChart (using Agile/Lean Startup) from scratch to simplify complex medical information. Usability testing (21 participants) resulted in a 28.3% user satisfaction increase, 100% comprehension, and 93% willingness for regular use.
Epic
09/24 - 12/24
UX co-Researcher, UX Designer
Epic MyChart developed by Epic Systems, is a widely used patient portal that provides secure digital access to medical records, test results, and appointment scheduling in the U.S.
While these portals enhance transparency in healthcare, much of the information—such as physician notes and test results—is written for medical professionals, making it difficult for patients to understand and interpret.
I collaborated with MBA strategist and eng team to conduct research. After interviewing Epic Teams and 5 users of Epic MyChart. We defined the main pain points and divided our target audience into two groups:
New user of Epic MyChart
Long-term users (Chronic Illness Patients, patients in need of continuous care)
We identified three typical user scenarios where pain points arise, which are lab result, progress notes, and medicine as follows:
Lab Result
Progress Notes
Medicine
We summarized three specific user pain points, which are as follows:
Confusing Medical Jargon
Patients often encounter confusing medical terms, making it hard to understand their care and make informed decisions.
Difficulty Interpreting Medical Data
Patients often struggle with lab results(like TSH), unsure what they mean or what to do next.
Information Overload
Those with chronic conditions or seeing multiple specialists are overwhelmed by too much data and documentation.
Problem Statement
Vision Statement
Our vision is to leverage AI to help patients understand their health data in MyChart by simplifying medical terms, charts, and reports. By turning complex information into actionable guidance, we aim to help them make informed decisions and take meaningful steps in their care.
We brainstormed multiple ideas and narrowed them down through dot voting and a PUGH matrix. After evaluating feasibility, user impact, and business value, we finalized four core features that best address user needs and improve the overall experience.
Prototype 1.0
Prototypes 1.0 V.S Prototypes 2.0
The second prototype was evaluated at UW Health Hospital, involving 7 patients who were Epic MyChart users.
User Experience
Enhance AI elements in visual design.
Improve data visualization features.
Enhance discoverability and affordance of core features.
Privacy Concern
Some participants prefer sensitive information like medication details to be hidden by default instead of arising when hovering on the AI assistant to prevent exposure in public settings.
Refining AI Assistant's Visual Identity
The human-like appearance of the AI assistant led some users to mistake it for a real doctor representative, causing confusion about the source of medical advice.
Prototypes 3.0
Building upon insights and usability testing results from prototype 2.0, I refined the design to better align with user needs.
Solving Key Pain Points with AI-Enhanced Features
Patients often encounter confusing medical terms, making it hard to understand their care and make informed decisions.
Select text with your mouse to automatically see a popup explaining medical jargon.
Patients often struggle with lab results or values (like TSH), unsure what they mean or what to do next.
The final prototype was evaluated with 5 Epic MyChart users by remote video. Usability testing revealed a 28.3% increase in user satisfaction compared with first-round testing. And it indicated that 100% of participants experienced improved comprehension, and 93% expressed a willingness to use the plugin regularly.
Additionally, the System Usability Scale (SUS) score improved by 12 points, reaching 72, further confirming a high level of usability and user acceptance. The tech team is is now continuing to iterate and implement the design.
Usability Testing Record
Given more time, we would continue refining and iterating on the design. While overall feedback was positive, many users primarily rely on the MyChart mobile app for daily health management. Integrating medication reminders with mobile devices would improve accessibility and ensure the AI assistant seamlessly fits into users' existing routines.