The Civil Service Hospital, an independent government institution overseen by Nepal's Ministry of General Administration, is situated in Minbhawan, Kathmandu, within the Bagmati Province. On June 13, 2021, the hospital launched its mobile application, which enables patients to schedule online appointments with specialists across various medical fields.
My Approach
The Civil Service Hospital of Nepal app redesign project was crafted to enhance the user experience and accessibility of this government healthcare institution's digital platform. My approach focused on addressing specific usability issues identified through testing, while maintaining the core functionality of online doctor appointment booking. This redesign prioritizes intuitive navigation, clear information presentation, and improved accessibility, ensuring that users can effectively engage with the hospital's digital services without confusion or frustration.
Vision and Innovation
The app redesign was built with a user-centered approach, embracing simplicity and clarity while maintaining the professional nature essential for a healthcare application. By addressing navigation issues, enhancing accessibility, and clarifying information presentation, the redesigned app creates a user experience that feels both reliable and intuitive. The improvements ensure that the hospital's digital services are accessible to a broader range of users, including those who may have less technological proficiency, which is particularly important for a government healthcare institution serving diverse populations.
Identifying Unique Challenges
Through usability testing, three key challenges were identified in the original app: navigation issues, accessibility problems, and lack of clarity in information presentation. Despite the app's functional ability to book appointments with specialists, these usability shortcomings were creating barriers to effective user engagement. My redesign addresses these challenges by implementing intuitive navigation patterns, enhancing visual clarity, and reorganizing information architecture to provide a more seamless user journey through the appointment booking process.
User-Centric Design
The app redesign was crafted with healthcare service users in mind, ensuring every modification would improve the experience for patients seeking medical appointments. From login screen enhancements to department searches and doctor selection interfaces, every design decision was made to maximize usability and reduce confusion. Small but impactful changes—such as improving button visibility, addressing empty sections, and clarifying unavailable services—collectively transform the user experience into something more intuitive and accessible.
Meeting User Needs
The redesign carefully addresses the specific needs of hospital app users through thoughtful interface improvements. For example, the login button was enlarged to improve visibility, cluttered sections were reorganized, and empty sections were eliminated or filled with useful content. By implementing clearer language around service availability and improving contrast for better readability, the redesign ensures users can quickly understand their options and successfully book appointments without unnecessary friction or confusion.
Detailed Deliverables and Features
Enhanced Login Interface: Enlarged the login button for better visibility and improved the distinction between logged-in and logged-out states.
Reorganized Navigation: Eliminated empty sections and improved the organization of app elements to reduce confusion and streamline the user journey.
Improved Department Search: Changed all-caps text to small caps with increased contrast for better readability and more intuitive searching.
Clearer Doctor Selection: Redesigned the availability indicators and messaging to clearly communicate when doctors are unavailable for appointments.
Strategic Button Placement: Relocated the lab report functionality to appear after login, aligning with the logical user flow and reducing premature login prompts.
Visual Hierarchy Improvements: Addressed excessive white space issues by implementing a more balanced layout that guides users through the appointment booking process.
Conclusion
This app redesign transforms the digital experience of the Civil Service Hospital of Nepal by addressing critical usability issues while maintaining core functionality. Through thoughtful interface improvements and strategic reorganization of information, the redesigned app provides a more intuitive pathway for patients seeking specialist appointments. The project demonstrates how targeted improvements to navigation, accessibility, and information clarity can significantly enhance the user experience of healthcare applications, ultimately improving service delivery for a government institution with a broad user base. These usability enhancements ensure that technology serves as an enabler rather than a barrier to healthcare access.
