Case Study: Ro — Empowering remote health management for users

The challenge

Our designs were based on Ro's patient-centric ethos, which placed every individual at the center of our focus, empowering each patient as a valued customer. This was the guiding principle that deeply informed our approach throughout the project.

Our target users were individuals with low income and from minority backgrounds, often facing slow internet connections.

76.1% of Ro's accesses were mobile, emphasizing the importance of mobile accessibility.
Many accessed Ro's telehealth in areas without wired high-speed internet, highlighting the need for low-bandwidth options.
Historically marginalized communities of color (Black, Hispanic, Native American) were twice as likely to use smartphones on Ro's platform for virtual care.

"Our patients' desires are clear — a healthcare experience that's effortlessly accessible whenever and wherever needed."

Ro Stakeholder

Hence, the team aimed to build an MVP, ensuring a tailored, seamless, and asynchronous healthcare journey covering diagnosis, medication delivery, and ongoing care while maintaining a lightweight and data-efficient approach.

Goals

My goal was to improve user interactions and visuals by collaborating with Ro's product team to ensure a solid foundation for the initial release. Additionally, I worked on enhancing Ro's brand by creating distinct components to strengthen patient-brand relationships.

User insights

After analyzing internal qualitative and quantitative data from Ro, I pinpointed two opportunities within the patient's user journey for intervention from an interaction and visual design standpoint.

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Empower patient control

Enable informed choices: Which specialist/provider suits my health goals? Which care setup fits? What are the most effective treatments?
Access comparative information: Quality, safety, appointment availability, telehealth vs. in-home care.
Understand costs: Treatment expenses, insurance vs. cash-pay, deductible impact.

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Leveraging technology to enable access:

When patients needed to see a healthcare provider, it's wasn't easy due to:

Schedule a visit weeks in advance;
Take time off from work, perhaps unpaid;
Pay indirect costs, such as childcare and/or transportation to the clinic;