The Short Story

• Challenge: Shaping a vision for the digital future of AZMM as the preferred health & care partner for patients, staff & visitors
• Solution: Setting up a digital platform and working out a step-by-step roadmap for future implementation
• Approach: Understanding the as-is, defining the to-be digital vision, architecting the digital platform, proposing an implementation roadmap and delivering a prototype
• Outcome: Laying the foundations of an integrated web platform and creating a clear roadmap towards their future with a full-on virtual servicing space

The Challenge

AZMM strives to be the lifetime health & care partner for both its patients and the health-aware citizen. In light of the shift from sick-care to healthcare, the creation of more digital touchpoints is unavoidable. We helped the hospital shape this vision and determine what steps would be required to achieve this goal. 

Central to this vision was the creation of a platform that would bring both patients, visitors and staff together and unburden all parties throughout the care process. Simplifying tasks like filling out paperwork on the staff’s side or uploading a medical history on the patient’s side provided challenges that could be faced early-on. In this spirit of unburdening time-consuming and robust processes, we found a driving factor behind the platform.

‍The Solution

Our goal was to provide a best-in-class digital journey beneficial for all stakeholders. A strategic exercise was the perfect tool to understand and acknowledge the main challenges, define a clear goal and implement a step-by-step approach following a well-defined roadmap. 

Together with the strategic part, we also set up a prototype of the AZMM digital platform. This functional prototype aimed to onboard users and solve practical challenges in the pre-admission phase for patients and staff. Next to that, it provided AZMM with a well-structured, integrated and scalable platform, ready for future development.

With their digital ecosystem put in place and a roadmap in front of them, AZ Maria Middelares found itself in a sweet spot for further digital transformation.

The Approach

Before even charting the new experience, we needed to assess the as-is situation. Thoroughly understanding both the user and customer perspectives and mapping the old application architecture was key to define the to-be vision of their digital landscape. 

Based on the strategic ambitions, we started defining the ‘virtual hospital’ vision of AZMM. Through a series of understand and decide workshops we worked towards a common objective: creating a digital platform that unburdens and simplifies the patients, staff and visitor’s needs.

In order to narrow down the scope, we focused on one of the core hospital experiences: the pre-admission phase. Before a patient can come to the hospital for his treatment, all sorts of administration have to be completed. Typically a time of stress for the patient, not being sure what to expect, and often an administrative burden for staff.

A clickable prototype was created, tackling those first challenges, together with an architectural analysis of the to-be platform. A roadmap based on these insights was mapped and provided a route to achieve this first possible milestone.

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The Outcome

Having set-up a well-structured, functional prototype, we created a solid base for a hospital that is ready for the future. Through our extensive user research, AZMM is able to simplify and unburden patients and medical staff in the pre-admission phase. Never not looking forward, we laid out the first solid bricks to pave the road towards a fully digitally engaged hospital.