Designing digital access to healthcare for Tennessee families

TennCare Connect is Tennessee’s digital benefits portal, helping low-income individuals and families apply for and manage healthcare coverage through TennCare, CoverKids, and Medicare Savings Programs across web and mobile.

Industries

Travel

Date

January 2023

My Role

Product designer

XFN Team

Product Owner, Data Analyst, Researcher, Full Stack Engineer

Industry

Healthcare

Duration

2 years

Industry

Healthcare

Duration

8 Months

Context

TennCare is a state health reform program implemented in Tennessee. The program aimed to reduce the uninsured rate and control Medicaid spending. Its major roadblock is its complex eligibility determination process, causing a slow rate of enrollment, averse selection.

Problem

Applying for and managing public healthcare benefits can be complex. Members have to understand eligibility requirements, provide supporting information, track application status, respond to requests, and manage benefits across different stages of their healthcare journey.

The Question

How might we make these complex, high-stakes

workflows easier to understand and complete across web and mobile?

Solution

TennCare Connect brings complex healthcare-benefit tasks into one clear digital experience across web and mobile. Members can apply for coverage, submit required documents, track eligibility, and manage benefits with clearer guidance on where they stand, what needs attention, and what to do next.

My process to build the solution

Goals & Objectives

▸ Provide high-quality care that improves health outcomes

▸ Ensure enrollee access to health care, including safety net providers

▸ Ensure enrollees’ satisfaction with services with fast enrollments

▸ Provide enrollees with appropriate and cost-effective Medicaid Services

▸ Provide high-quality care that improves health outcomes

▸ Ensure enrollee access to health care, including safety net providers

▸ Ensure enrollees’ satisfaction with services with fast enrollments

▸ Provide enrollees with appropriate and cost-effective Medicaid Services

Challenges

▸ Complex and extensive application form

▸ Slow-moving workflow of the paper-based form

▸ Higher rates of rejection owing to inconsistent information provided

▸ Complex queue management system

▸ Completion of the form and documentation requires multiple visits

▸ Complex and extensive application form

▸ Slow-moving workflow of the paper-based form

▸ Higher rates of rejection owing to inconsistent information provided

▸ Complex queue management system

▸ Completion of the form and documentation requires multiple visits

User Research

Understanding the applicant's needs

▸ The option to determine my eligibility and apply for one or more programs all in one place, in as few steps as possible.

▸ Notifications and feedback loops about my benefits that are relaible, timely and easy to understand

▸ To be able to interact with benefits programs through the channel(phone, text, email, in-person)

▸ Information that is clear, easy to find and easy to understand

Understanding the applicant's needs

▸ The option to determine my eligibility and apply for one or more programs all in one place, in as few steps as possible.

▸ Notifications and feedback loops about my benefits that are relaible, timely and easy to understand

▸ To be able to interact with benefits programs through the channel(phone, text, email, in-person)

▸ Information that is clear, easy to find and easy to understand

Understanding the applicant's Enrollment process

▸ Take on the responsibility of verifying eligibility, to reduce burden to applicants

▸ Deeply invest in increasing efficiency, continuously tracking operations data and analyzing effectiveness of their processes

▸ Integrate program applications to help serve individuals and families holistically

▸ Use technology and multi-channel touchpoints to communicate in ways that help people from dropping out during enrollment or renewal.

▸ Empower staff to use their judgement and discretion, moving away from ‘line worker’ model increasing effectiveness and satisfaction for both staff and applicant

Understanding the applicant's Enrollment process

▸ Take on the responsibility of verifying eligibility, to reduce burden to applicants

▸ Deeply invest in increasing efficiency, continuously tracking operations data and analyzing effectiveness of their processes

▸ Integrate program applications to help serve individuals and families holistically

▸ Use technology and multi-channel touchpoints to communicate in ways that help people from dropping out during enrollment or renewal.

▸ Empower staff to use their judgement and discretion, moving away from ‘line worker’ model increasing effectiveness and satisfaction for both staff and applicant

Low Fidelity Wireframes

Final Design Solutions

Extra attention to detailed development

Working with Wambi was a pleasure for our team. Wambi is more than just a digital platform showing information about healthcare workers or other company employees in real time.

User success stories

"I could finally see what I needed to do next without calling for help." - Yulia

“Uploading documents was much easier because I could tell what was required and whether it had been received.” - Byron

“It was helpful to have my coverage, notices, and next steps in one place.” - Melissa

My Reflections

Clarity is part of access
Reassurance matters in high-stakes workflows
Design around actions, not system complexity.

Clarity is part of access

Reassurance matters in high-stakes workflows

Design around actions, not system complexity.

I specialize in crafting exceptional digital experiences to help the users achieve their goals.

View Resume

Crafted with love by Mayuri

I specialize in crafting exceptional digital experiences to help the users achieve their goals.

View Resume

Crafted with love by Mayuri

I specialize in crafting exceptional digital experiences to help the users achieve their goals.

View Resume

Crafted with love by Mayuri