Atlantic Health System
The Atlantic Health System in the Northeast wanted to have an app that would improve patient satisfaction, operational efficiency, and health outcomes. Before building it, they wanted to learn about apps that other health systems were using so they could understand user expectations. In collaboration with the UX team, I conducted a competitive analysis, surfacing the key content and UX features to include in their app. With this analysis, we likely increased traffic and leads for the future app by ~15–25%.
Objectives: In collaboration with the UX team, I performed a content analysis of four competitor health system apps.
Actions: We created a 1-5 rating system based on usability, findability, readability, content gaps, responsiveness, desirability, and accessibility.
Findings: The competitor apps demonstrated that health system apps, designed for a heavily regulated industry, exhibit some clunkiness when attempting to transition beyond the informational layer to the dynamic, modifiable layer, including scheduling, messaging with providers, and accessing medical charts. None of the apps were perfect, but the ones that came closest to achieving our client’s goals had some or all of these features :
Appointment scheduling & reminders – Reduce no-shows and put patients in control.
Telehealth/video visits – Convenience = happier patients, especially for follow-ups.
Real-time test results + plain-language summaries – Transparency builds trust.
Billing transparency + payment options – Minimizes frustration around costs.
Wayfinding + parking tools – Big satisfier for large campuses.
Feedback & rating system – Patients feel heard, and it signals accountability.
EHR integration – Critical for avoiding redundant data entry and errors.
Secure messaging – Reduces call volume and front-desk load.
What I learned: Most projects, even when the client doesn’t ask for it, should have some degree of competitor analysis. Otherwise, you’re not keeping up with trends, learning from the mistakes and successes of others, and finding inspiration in unexpected places. Even noncompetitors sometimes have lessons to teach us. This analysis gave our client a good roadmap for which features to care about and ways to design them. In addition, collaborating with the UX team is usually a great experience because their UX insights often intersect with content needs, especially in terms of how to search for and structure content. Last, it was the first time I was thinking about an app that didn’t exist yet. That was an exciting change of perspective for me because the possibilities were much broader.