Humanising Healthcare Technology
The user experience has always been at the core of Locum’s Nest. We provide workforce solutions to better the lives of NHS workers and therefore our technology continues to have a unique, human-centric approach at its forefront.
In the second episode of our new video series, ‘Designing for HealthTech’, our Co-Founder, Dr Nicholas Andreou, and Head of Design, Jason Peart, discuss how, through thoughtful design, Locum’s Nest has created a truly empathetic user experience, contributing to our users’ peace of mind as well as building the ultimate destination for flexible, empowered shift work.
Caring for the people who care for us
The healthcare space is naturally very regulated, which can, unfortunately, lead to cold and unengaging software that neither appeals to nor positively interacts with the user. But, our approach to digital healthcare technology is very different from other B2B solutions. Whilst functionality, safety and security are key considerations, our driving force has always been our user-centric philosophy.
At Locum’s Nest, we design our products in order to directly help healthcare professionals and so, a humanised touch is a crucial element to our web and mobile apps. We recognise that doctors, nurses and NHS workers are more than their role. They’re people. People who engage with, adopt and consume technology in their personal lives and therefore should be treated as much - not strictly as those who deliver healthcare.
“During my first brushes with healthtech design, I remember coming away feeling that everything was so cold and super clinical. Whilst it may be the natural language of medicine, at the end of the day it’s all about care!” — Jason Peart, Head of Design at Locum’s Nest
An empathy-driven approach is not a way to stand out from the competition; in fact, we never directly state that ‘we care’ within our product suite. It’s simply a necessity. The foundation of our work is to design products for healthcare professionals that enable them to feel less stressed, to do their job better and to ultimately improve patient care nationwide. To achieve this, it's imperative that we are led by empathy and answer the needs of key workers by caring for them as much as they care for us.
Injecting empathy into a functioning product
So, how do you bring emotion into healthcare technology and translate the empathy you witness as a patient, parent, professional and human into a functioning product?
For us, it came down to paying particular attention not only to the product’s usability but also to the user’s feelings that might arise during their interaction with our app. Humans are intrinsically driven by emotion. And whether it’s the purchase of a new phone, sending a video to a friend or finally levelling up on Candy Crush, we all experience and expect to feel delight, excitement and a multitude of emotions whilst engaging with technology.
To evoke positive emotions from our healthcare professionals, we had to ensure each of our products is of value rather than a hindrance. Our users range from medical school graduates to family GPs (with our oldest user being over the age of 80), so inclusivity is imperative to our design. No matter their age, tech savviness or role, we drive empathy through the experience we offer, the language we use and the attention to detail in our app.
“Whether a phone is an extension of their hand, or they’re a technophobe, our app offers a better solution to our users without special guidance or training.” — Dr Nicholas Andreou, Co-founder of Locum’s Nest
This starts from the moment the app is downloaded. Rather than asking for endless details, activation codes or a verification process, our users enter the app by inputting their unique registration number - ensuring only compliant, licensed professionals are allowed access. This allows users to bypass what is typically a hugely complicated process and instead be in the app within 50 seconds or less. By removing unnecessary stress and keeping registration simple, we’re therefore able to gain trust and demonstrate our product’s worth.
Applying proper thinking (and not using the easy route of templates) is how the entire app is designed. Our signature mascot, Dr Owlbert, embodies our personal touch. He might be a cartoon figure, but his reassuring voice comes directly from the Locum’s Nest team, leading users by the hand throughout the entire experience from onboarding to booking their first shift. And, naturally, he adds an ounce of humour, because fundamentally we understand that NHS workers are human and the process of managing your work shouldn’t be boring.
By keeping things simple yet functional and saving NHS people crucial time, we’re able to improve overall wellbeing, removing heavy lifting and paperwork to provide the headspace for workers to focus on their expertise.
Future-proofing through feedback
The Locum’s Nest team is made up of exceptional engineers, tech strategists and design wizards that each ensure our products are scalable, safe and easy to use. But what makes us unique is our people’s experience. The whole company comprises former NHS doctors, rota coordinators, HR directors and healthcare workers who not only understand our users but intrinsically are them.
This has empowered a welcoming culture of feedback from team members but also users of the app. The application has been designed with algorithms that help it be used to its full potential, from simple FAQ articles to instant in-app support from our customer service team. It’s also easy to submit anonymous feedback at any given time.
The suggestions we then receive are each considered and acted upon. Rather than sitting still, our agile suite of products are never closed off and instead are improved each year to ensure Locum’s Nest are the first and only workforce tech providers that go thus far to support the NHS workforce.
We are currently on the third version of our app, which was consciously developed during the pandemic to support the wellbeing of our frontline heroes. We’ll be discussing this further in our next episode, so make sure to stay tuned!
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Discover more about how we empower NHS professionals through empathy-driven design in our second episode, ‘Humanising Healthcare Technology through empathy-driven UX’.