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The Downside of Healthcare Design

by Chris Kiess
13 min read
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A House In Need of Order

The Impact of Your Work

I once worked at the “corner of happy and healthy” for Walgreens. When I would interview candidates, they would often ask me what the big challenges were for the UX team. My answer was always the same: Most people use a pharmacy because it is convenient — a right turn on the way home, for example. How can a UX team make an impact given that scenario?

Playing Technology Catchup

Until the late 20th century, healthcare was not an industry known for technology. Oddly enough, it was and is an industry where there is ample technology present. This, of course, depends on how you define technology. The stethoscope, a microscope or an otoscope are all technologies.

The EHR: Lock Me In

The electronic health record is, arguably, the heartbeat and lifeblood of healthcare today — at least, from a technological viewpoint. Twenty years ago, it was the Holy Grail of many health systems and just as unobtainable. But all of that changed with the ACA and Hi-Tech legislation that provided incentives and financial assistance for hospitals to implement EHRs.

post authorChris Kiess

Chris Kiess
Chris is a healthcare designer with 15 years of experience in the health industry. He has worked with a number of large organizations in healthcare to include Eli Lilly, Indiana University School of Medicine, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Alzheimer’s Association, Amedisys Home Health and Hospice Care, Walgreens and Baxter Health. Chris currently resides in the Greater Chicago Area, working with a start-up in the home healthcare space.

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