Find the Right Level of Medical Care
Design a healthcare directory that helps people distinguish urgent help from routine care and find a suitable local service.
The brief
Understand the problem
Background
People searching for healthcare may not know whether they need emergency help, a clinic, a pharmacy, or a scheduled specialist. Stress and incomplete service data make comparison harder.
User context
Marcus has a worsening rash on a weekend. He is unsure whether to seek urgent care and needs a nearby service that accepts his insurance and has wheelchair access.
Product problem
A directory must support fast, accessible decisions without diagnosing the user or creating false confidence about availability and coverage.
Objective
Create a care navigation flow that provides safety guidance and compares appropriate local services.
What to design
Define the experience
Required experience
- Urgency check with clear emergency escalation
- Service search with access and coverage filters
- Facility detail with verified and time-sensitive information
- Call, directions, or appointment handoff
Screens and states
- Urgency guidance
- Service results
- Facility detail
- Contact handoff
- Unavailable state
Core user flow
Follow the critical path
- 01
Marcus describes the broad type of help he is seeking
- 02
He reviews emergency guidance before continuing
- 03
He filters nearby services by opening time, access, and insurance
- 04
He checks when facility information was last verified
- 05
He calls the selected service and opens accessible directions
Product rules
Requirements and constraints
Requirements
- Keep emergency action visible without presenting a diagnosis
- Show data freshness for hours, availability, and service details
- Support insurance, language, mobility, and transport filters
- Distinguish walk-in access from appointment availability
- Provide alternatives when a chosen service is closed
- Use plain language and large, reliable tap targets
Constraints
- Availability can change faster than directory data updates
- Insurance acceptance does not guarantee coverage
- The user may be distressed or using one hand
- Location permission may be denied
Reality check
States worth considering
Finish line
What to deliver
- Design five mobile screens for urgency guidance, search, comparison, handoff, and a no-match state.
Optional direction
Visual resources
Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.