Case Study 1
Harbor County Care Network
Redesigning referral and appointment preparation
Challenge
Harbor County's community clinics relied on fragmented processes where patients received unclear instructions about appointments. Referrals were sent through multiple channels, creating confusion about next steps. Support staff spent hours answering preventable questions.
How we worked
We mapped the referral and appointment-preparation journey across five clinics, identifying 12 handoff points where information was lost or repeated. We simplified instructions, created a unified patient communication system, and tested the new experience with patients across literacy levels and digital confidence. We also trained clinic staff on the new workflows.
What changed
- ✓ Patient instructions reduced by 60% in length while improving clarity
- ✓ Support call volume decreased by 35% in first six months
- ✓ Shared service blueprint adopted across all five clinics
- ✓ Patient satisfaction with appointment preparation increased from 62% to 88%
"Patients called us less often, and when they did, they had better questions. That told us the system was working."
— Dr. Lisa Chen, Chief Medical Officer