Screenshot of a digital health medication management app displaying instructions from Dr. Hernandez, confirming medication list, and asking if the patient has started taking prescribed medications.

PATIENT MEDICATION FOLLOW-UP

Closing the Loop Between Human Care and Automation

When patients left appointments, clinicians had no way to know if medication changes were understood or followed. I designed a mobile survey and workflow that turned patient confirmations into structured signals. These structured responses enabled Story Health to automate follow-ups and escalate to a coach when patients signaled confusion.

Role
Lead Designer

Contributions
UX Strategy, UI Design, Interaction Design, Prototyping, UX Research

Company
Story Health

Year
2024

SOLUTION

Helping Patients Stay on Track

Clear Instructions at a Glance
Patients saw a simple summary of medication changes written in plain language.

Icon of a clipboard with a blue frame, orange clip, and gray lines on the paper.

Structured Confirmations
The survey captured whether patients understood changes, stared their new meds, or needed help.

A simple, stylized organizational chart with a dark blue top circle connected to three smaller circles in orange, green, and yellow.

Automated Follow-ups
Patient responses triggered the right next step, such as an automated check-in or coach outreach.

A digital icon of a speech bubble with three horizontal lines representing text, accompanied by two star-shaped sparkles, on a light background.

Smart Follow-ups

Once patients entered a start date for their new medications, Story Health automatically scheduled check-ins and symptom surveys. Coaches could then focus on higher-touch support instead of chasing down confirmations.

ITERATING TOWARDS SIMPLICITY

Confusing Instructions Derailed Patients From the Start

Even though we tested the instructions survey design with participants from a similar demographic, it wasn’t until real patients used them that we realized the language wasn’t working.

BEFORE

Patients were told to “increase” the a drug they were currently taking. Instructions for the current dose and new dose were displayed in separate cards, which was too complex.

A digital medication update on a mobile phone screen showing instructions for increasing Carvedilol (Coreg) dose from 3.125mg to 6.25mg, including current regimen and new dosage instructions.

AFTER

Instead of “increase”, patients are instructed to “start” a larger dose. Additional instructions related to that drug are all grouped together in one card to visually simplify the information.

Mobile health app displaying instructions from Dr. Hernandez to start Carvedilol medication twice a day, with guidance on pharmacy pickup and stopping previous doses, and a continue button.

REDUCING DROP-OFF

Getting to What Matters Most

We learned that patients were dropping off before reaching the most important step: confirming when they started their new medication.

BEFORE

Each medication change had its own instructions screen, which made the beginning of the survey lengthy. Patients often abandoned the survey before ever entering a date.

A series of overlapping mobile app screens showing a medication management app, with the main screen asking, 'When will you start taking your new medication(s)?' and a date picker set to Monday, September 15.

Average of 6-8 screens until the user got to input a date.

AFTER

Through testing, we simplified the flow. We stacked instructions up front into the first screen, reducing screens and guiding patients quickly to a date input that drives follow-up automation.

Mobile app screens for medication management, displaying questions about when a user started their medication, with a date entered as Monday, September 15.

Only 3 Screens before getting to input a date

IMPACT AND RESULTS

27%

Increase in completed surveys

44%

Reduction in time for patient to complete care plan

60%

Reduction in hospitalizations

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