Outpatient Empathy: Refining the Waiting Experience During Medical Daycare Visits

Extended wait time in healthcare affects the experience and overall perception of care for outpatients as well as the stress it puts on the clinical team that is providing treatment services. Through this research, some factors like the lack of information about treatment encounters, and insufficient interaction and understanding of what goes on behind-the-scenes during waiting periods have been seen to contribute to extended wait times. Wait time affects more than just the physical wellbeing, but also the aspects of the economic and psychological aspects of the patient (Chu, Holly, et al., 8). Therefore, the goal of this research was to use participatory methods to understand and identify potential design opportunities that can help improve the outpatient experience by reducing the effect of the factors that contribute to the extended wait periods. This research is carried out at Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Center, an outpatient facility in Surrey, British Columbia. The research goes through phases of needs finding through exploratory prototyping with stakeholders, which includes mapping the outpatient journey during their visit to the facility. Afterward, based on the insights that were gathered through these exploratory activities, the next was to conduct participatory design workshops, including an interview with health professionals. The outcome of these activities was a potential design opportunity that would give outpatients more information about their treatment encounter, and what happens behind-the-scenes as a way of improving their experience during extended wait periods. The design opportunity that was prototyped and iterated on is called the patient pathway. It includes an app prototype, an armband, and an information board.