Designing Telehealth for Patients Who'd Never Used an iPad
Designed the patient-facing iPad app for Kivo Health's 9-week COPD management program, which helped 3,500+ patients through telehealth sessions and remote monitoring. Most of these patients were 65+, many had never used a tablet before, and every design decision had to hold up against limited tech experience, chronic illness, and the reality of managing a breathing exercise mid-session.
The Challenge
Kivo Health's telehealth program served patients 65+ managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These users had limited tech experience, often struggled with complex interfaces, and needed to use the app while managing breathing difficulties.
Every design decision had to balance clinical requirements, technical constraints, and the reality of our users' capabilities. Three of those decisions ended up mattering more than the rest.
Rethinking Authentication
The Problem
We assumed a simple email/password system would work for elderly users since it's a common pattern. Instead, we got frequent login issues: forgotten passwords, email typos, and support calls from frustrated patients who couldn't access their scheduled sessions.
The Solution
Switched to phone-based authentication with a simple SMS code. Phone numbers are more memorable for our 65+ demographic, and entering a 6-digit code proved far more reliable than remembering a password. Authentication-related support calls dropped.
Less Information, Better Focus
The Problem
We initially displayed real-time vitals like heart rate and oxygen levels, thinking patients would want transparency and engagement. Instead, therapists reported patients watching their heart rate graphs instead of following breathing exercises. The data became a distraction rather than helpful feedback.
The Solution
Removed patient-facing real-time displays while keeping clinician monitoring on their end. Patients could focus on therapeutic instructions without fixating on numbers that often caused anxiety, and clinicians still had full monitoring to intervene when needed.
Prioritizing Attendance Over Data Collection
The Problem
We added pre-session health questionnaires, assuming they'd provide valuable clinical context for therapists. Patients found them tedious, and therapists reported they preferred verbal check-ins during sessions. The questionnaires were slowing down session joins and adding friction right before appointments.
The Solution
Eliminated questionnaires entirely to prioritize session attendance. Therapists assessed patient status verbally during the natural flow of conversation, and patients could join sessions immediately when scheduled, removing a barrier that was delaying or preventing session starts.
Additional Work
Beyond the core app, I worked with the marketing team to create a compelling narrative that communicated program benefits to both physicians and patients, spearheaded a packaging redesign that turned the monitoring devices and program materials into a professional, branded experience, and edited patient testimonial videos that were key to physician onboarding and social proof.
