Digital Transformation and Accessibility Redesign for a Healthcare Provider

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Healthcare

Digital Transformation and Accessibility Redesign for a Healthcare Provider

Digital transformation including platform modernization, API integration, and accessibility compliance.

Focus Areas

Digital Experience Modernization

Accessibility (WCAG Compliance)

Patient Engagement Platforms

User research, prototyping, and testing process used in the accessibility redesign.

Business Problem

A regional healthcare provider operating across clinics and telehealth services struggled with outdated digital tools that limited patient engagement and accessibility. Their patient portal, appointment systems, and content interfaces were difficult to navigate—particularly for users with disabilities or limited digital literacy. This led to increased call center loads, missed appointments, and reduced patient satisfaction. The organization needed to modernize its digital experience and ensure ADA and WCAG compliance to deliver equitable healthcare access.

Key challenges:

  • Outdated UI/UX Design: The portal interface was cluttered, non-responsive, and difficult to navigate on mobile.

  • Lack of Accessibility Compliance: Many workflows and components failed WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.

  • Fragmented Digital Journeys: Users faced inconsistent experiences across web, mobile, and in-person touchpoints.

  • Limited Self-Service: Appointment scheduling, records access, and prescription refills were difficult to complete without assistance.

  • High Support Volume: A significant portion of patient service calls were due to usability or access issues.

The Approach

Curate Consultant’s collaborated with the provider to redesign the patient experience through an accessibility-first, mobile-optimized web platform. The engagement included usability research, frontend refactoring, and ADA-compliant design systems. The result was a unified, intuitive platform improving both digital equity and operational efficiency.

Key components of the solution:

  • Discovery and Requirements Gathering:

    • User Journey Mapping: Conducted interviews and usability testing with patients, clinicians, and admin staff.

    • Accessibility Audit: Reviewed all public-facing digital properties for conformance with WCAG 2.1 standards.

    • Technology Stack Review: Evaluated frontend frameworks, API integrations, and hosting infrastructure.

    • Patient Analytics Review: Analyzed user behavior, drop-off rates, and helpdesk request data to prioritize fixes.

  • Solution Design and Implementation:

    • Accessibility Redesign: Rebuilt core interfaces using React and TailwindCSS with semantic HTML, ARIA roles, and keyboard navigation support.

    • Design System: Created an ADA-compliant component library aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

    • Responsive UI: Developed mobile-first designs supporting varied screen sizes and input types.

    • Self-Service Features: Integrated secure modules for appointment scheduling, messaging, test result access, and prescription management.

    • Platform Integration: Connected redesigned UI to backend EHR systems and existing APIs via GraphQL for efficient data access.

  • Process Optimization and Change Management:

    • Inclusive Design Workshops: Co-designed features with users from underserved groups and patients with disabilities.

    • Agile Development Process: Delivered iterative improvements in two-week sprints with continuous patient feedback.

    • Accessibility Testing: Used tools like Axe, Lighthouse, and NVDA/JAWS screen readers for validation.

    • Change Management: Trained internal teams on inclusive content creation and digital accessibility maintenance.

Business Outcomes

Increased Digital Engagement


Redesigned platform increased patient logins, reduced abandonment, and improved usage of self-service tools.

ADA & WCAG Compliance Achieved


The platform passed WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility checks and aligned with ADA digital service expectations.

Reduced Support Overhead


Improved UX and accessibility reduced call center volume related to digital task failures.

Improved Patient Satisfaction


More intuitive design and accessible interfaces led to measurable increases in satisfaction scores.

Sample KPIs

Here’s a quick summary of the kinds of KPI’s and goals teams were working towards**:

Metric Before After Improvement
Digital task completion rate 62% 91% 47% increase
Accessibility score (Lighthouse) 49 points 98 points 100% improvement
Patient satisfaction (CSAT score) 72/100 89/100 23% increase
Support tickets due to UI issues 680/month 120/month 82% reduction
Mobile session conversion rate 38% 74% 95% increase
**Disclaimer: The set of KPI’s are for illustration only and do not reference any specific client data or actual results – they have been modified and anonymized to protect confidentiality and avoid disclosing client data.

Customer Value

Equitable Digital Access


Improved experience for users with disabilities, seniors, and low-tech patients.

Stronger Patient Loyalty


Enhanced trust and satisfaction through a consistent, user-friendly experience.

Sample Skills of Resources

  • UX/UI Designers: Specialized in accessibility, mobile-first design, and component systems.

  • Frontend Engineers: Built ADA-compliant UIs with React, ARIA, and semantic HTML.

  • Accessibility Specialists: Conducted audits, manual testing, and remediations.

  • Product Managers: Led iterative user research and stakeholder alignment.

  • QA Engineers: Tested functionality with assistive technologies and accessibility tools.

Tools & Technologies

  • Frontend & UI: React, Tailwind-CSS, Storybook, Figma

  • Accessibility: Axe, Lighthouse, NVDA, WAVE, JAWS

  • APIs & Integration: GraphQL, RESTful APIs, FHIR

  • Testing & QA: Cypress, Jest, BrowserStack

  • Project Collaboration: Jira, Confluence, Miro, Notion

Conclusion

Curate’s digital transformation and accessibility redesign initiative empowered the healthcare provider to deliver a modern, inclusive, and efficient patient experience. The project drove improved patient outcomes, reduced operational burden, and established a foundation for continued innovation in digital care delivery.

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