Internal Research:

• 35 one-on-one interviews with Marketing and Communications team members

• Gathered diverse perspectives on patient challenges and opportunities for collaboration

• Identified questions that needed deeper patient research

External Research:

• 5 in-depth interviews with patients who recently selected specialty care providers

• User feedback surveys, NRC research data, patient feedback forms

• Competitive analysis of healthcare provider sites

Workshop Methodology:

• Current-state customer journey mapping

• Emphasis on emotional journey, tasks, and behaviors

• Collaborative mapping with cross-functional stakeholders

Patient Needs:

• Availability drives decisions: Patients often prioritize being seen quickly when selecting specialists

• Trust requires validation: Review credibility and provider credentials significantly influence confidence

• Mobile experience needs enhancement: Comparing providers on mobile devices presents challenges

• Authenticity matters: Patients seek specific details about provider expertise and experience

• Transparency builds confidence: Real-time scheduling visibility directly impacts satisfaction

Collaboration Opportunities:

• Teams brought valuable but differing perspectives on patient needs

• Opportunity to create shared understanding through structured journey mapping

• Need for regular forums to align on patient experience priorities

Enhanced Collaboration:

• Brought 35 stakeholders together: Created forum for cross-functional problem-solving and knowledge sharing

• Established shared methodology: Team understands journey mapping approach

• Strengthened partnerships: Digital Experience, Web Development, and Content teams now collaborate regularly on patient experience initiatives

• Evidence-based approach: Created framework for grounding decisions in patient research

• Improved communication: Regular information sharing now keeps teams connected and informed on patient experience work

• Team expansion: Success of collaborative approach contributed to Digital Experience team growth and enhanced project management capabilities

Research Deliverables:

• A comprehensive current-state journey maps

• Research-based persona ("Specialty Care Sally")

• Prioritized list of 5 improvement opportunities

• Journey mapping process documentation for future use

• Clear action items with assigned owners

Patient Experience Improvements: Multiple projects now underway to address identified opportunities—including provider profile enhancements, mobile optimization, and content strategy refinements based on workshop insights.

• Display review source explicitly (e.g., "Reviews collected via NRC Health patient surveys")

• Clarify review collection and moderation process

• Avoid misleading "verified" language that raised suspicion rather than building trust

• Integrate external review widgets from established platforms (Healthgrades, ZocDoc)

• Allow users to access third-party validation without leaving the site

• Demonstrate confidence in provider quality through willingness to show external perspectives

• Test Q&A sections where patients could ask providers specific questions

• Pilot specialty-specific content that addresses common patient concerns

• Create opportunities for authentic provider-patient connection beyond traditional reviews

Recommendations presented to stakeholders with prioritization based on implementation feasibility and expected trust impact. This work exemplifies how journey mapping insights translate into specific, actionable improvements grounded in user research.

I originally planned to study patients with rare conditions traveling long distances for treatment. However, given the importance of maintaining positive relationships with specialty care programs, I adapted to study local specialty care selection more broadly. This shift actually strengthened the project's impact—the findings applied to a much larger patient population and could benefit more people seeking care.

As a team member still building relationships within the organization (3 years at the time), I developed strategies for conducting independent patient recruitment that didn't rely on existing clinical partnerships. This approach has strengthened our team's capabilities and demonstrated our ability to conduct research that complements rather than disrupts clinical operations.

Engaging 11 stakeholders in the workshops required careful facilitation. Some team members were initially uncertain about the workshop format, while others were eager to participate. By creating space for all voices and clearly demonstrating value, I was able to engage the full spectrum of perspectives—resulting in productive discussions and shared ownership of outcomes.

Interviewing 35 marketing team members was ambitious, but it ensured every perspective was heard and every team member felt invested in our direction. This thorough approach to stakeholder engagement created a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration.