Challenge
Baystate Health recognized the increasing importance of patient-centric care and sought to redesign the emergency department (ED) experience at their flagship hospital. Beyond addressing immediate needs within the ED, they aimed to develop in-house human-centered design capabilities to improve other service lines and tackle future challenges with a design-thinking approach. This initiative reflected their commitment to not only enhancing patient satisfaction but also fostering a culture of innovation across the organization.
They knew that they wanted a human-centric approach, they just needed experts in healthcare design thinking to show them how.
Approach
Cast & Hue's human-centered design approach for Baystate Health's Emergency Department (ED) unfolded in three distinct phases, prioritizing both impactful outcomes and comprehensive team training. Baystate Health leadership assembled a cross-disciplinary team of innovators to learn and apply human-centered design principles to future organizational challenges. Through all project phases, this team actively participated in the process, supported by extensive training, both in-person and virtual, prior to each phase. This training trained them on the skills to actively participate in and even facilitate future human-centered design projects.
Phase 1: Immersion and discovery
We began by immersing ourselves in the ED's current reality. Recognizing that true understanding comes from firsthand observation, we conducted in-depth ethnographic research, shadowing staff and patients to experience the existing conditions. This was not just about collecting data; it was about developing empathy for the people at the heart of the ED experience. To complement this, we facilitated a stakeholder workshop, bringing together diverse internal perspectives to identify key pain points and assumptions to explore further. This collaborative approach ensured that all voices were heard and that we captured a holistic view of the challenges.
Phase 2: Patient journey mapping and insight generation
Building on the foundation of our initial research, we facilitated collaborative patient journey mapping workshops. These sessions brought together a wide range of stakeholders — including security personnel, nurses, providers, innovation team members, patients, and their families. By mapping the ED journey from these multiple perspectives, we were able to uncover critical touchpoints, understand the emotional highs and lows experienced by patients, and identify key areas for improvement. These workshops, rich with Post-it notes and powerful patient narratives, provided invaluable insights and helped us define and focus on key design challenges.
Phase 3: Co-creation and prototyping
Fueled by the insights from the patient journey mapping sessions, we moved into the co-creation phase. We brought our diverse stakeholder groups back together for a series of design sprints, focused on developing and prototyping solutions to the identified challenges. This wasn't just about brainstorming ideas; it was about actively involving patients and staff in the design process, ensuring that the solutions were not only innovative but also relevant and impactful. The prototypes were then rigorously tested with a wide range of patients and staff, allowing us to iterate and refine the designs based on real-world feedback.
Outcome
The culmination of this human-centered design engagement was more than just a set of recommendations; it was a transformation in how Baystate Health approaches patient care. The ideas generated throughout the three phases formed the foundation of a new experience blueprint, a strategic artifact that provides clear guidance on meeting patient needs and delivering a truly differentiated emergency department experience. Cast & Hue translated the insights from each phase into a tangible design, and collaborated with the Baystate Health team to develop an implementation plan for the pilots. But perhaps the most significant outcome was the shift in mindset. The project not only equipped 13 key stakeholders with the skills to independently replicate the human-centered design process, but also secured buy-in from Baystate Health leadership for future patient-centric initiatives. This project served as a catalyst, empowering the organization to embrace a culture of continuous improvement and patient-focused innovation.
This human-centered design training approach can be applied to any industry, but we're especially passionate about our specialty as a healthcare experience design firm.
